2024 Year in review for Prairie Region: CBSA seizes 277 weapons and firearms and makes 1,594 seizures of illegal drugs

WINNIPEG, MB, Dec. 9, 2024 /CNW/ - Today, we are proud to report on the Canada Border Services Agency's enforcement and operational activities in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and Northwest Territories, from January 1 to October 31, 2024.

The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) is Canada's first line of defence at 1,200 ports of entry across the country. Day in and day out, approximately 8,500 frontline employees play a crucial role protecting our communities by preventing illegal goods and inadmissible people from entering Canada and by securing North America as a whole.

Across the country, hundreds of CBSA criminal investigators, inland immigration investigators, hearings officers and intelligence officers work to support and enforce compliance with Canada's border laws and take action against those in violation. Abroad, approximately 60 CBSA employees in 35 countries help manage the border internationally. And, by the end of 2024, we will have welcomed over 500 new officer trainees and 18 new detector dog teams who join the ranks of our dedicated employees helping keep our border safe.

Partnership and information-sharing are vital to border security because organized crime is an international problem, with networks operating across many countries. CBSA and other law enforcement agencies operate in a global context to successfully curb crime and keep borders safe. Together, we stop dangerous people, firearms, weapons and drugs from entering and hurting our communities, while ensuring the flow of millions of travellers and billions of dollars in international trade.

Protect Canadians and keep communities safe

The CBSA serves as Canada's frontline defence by preventing illegal weapons and illicit substances from entering our communities. This year, border services officers and inland operations across Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and Northwest Territories were responsible for:

• 277 weapon seizures, resulting in preventing the following items entering our communities: 94 firearms, 182 miscellaneous parts for firearms or magazines, 149 stun guns, 120 brass knuckles, 746 prohibited knives, and 35 other prohibited weapons
• 1,594 seizures of illegal narcotics, including 409 kg of methamphetamine, 76 kg of cocaine, 134 kg of restricted cannabis and 11 kg of opioids
• 177 tobaccos seizures, totalling 5,191 kg
• 13 child sexual abuse material seizures
• $6,851,806 in currency seizures

We issued $201,500 in penalties as a result of 209 occurrences of Agriculture and Agri-Food Administrative Monetary Penalties.

Welcome travellers into Canada

The Prairie Region welcomed 6,281,183 travellers at 44 ports of entry, including returning Canadians as well as international visitors and refugees, nearly 700,000 more than last year.

The Prairie Region processed 429 refugee claims as part of the Government of Canada's commitment to provide permanent or temporary protection to individuals fleeing conflict or persecution.

We processed the arrival of 327 international firefighters who helped combat wildfires in Northwest Territories, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta.

Support the economy

The CBSA has continued to take important steps to keep Canada's trade routes open and resilient, ensuring that our economy remains strong and responsive to the needs of Canadians.

Border services officers in the Prairie Region:

• processed 476,301 commercial trucks
• processed 7,681,276 courier shipments
• released 3,276,013 commercial shipments

The collection of duties and taxes helps protect sectors of Canada's economy. When commercial importers violate trade and border legislation, the CBSA issues penalties as a means to deter non-compliance. This helps insure import requirements are being met, and creates a level playing field for all Canadian businesses.

The region closed 103 verification cases, assessing a total of $7,605,475 in duties, taxes, interest and penalties. The region also completed 129 compliance interventions, resulting in further assessments of $2,947,831 in duties and taxes.

In October, the Canada Border Services Agency Assessment and Revenue Management (CARM) became the official system of record to assess and collect duties and taxes for commercial goods imported into Canada. The Prairie Region worked diligently to onboard clients and assist in its launch. CARM will help to protect and grow over $40 billion in revenue collected at the border each year by providing Canadian businesses with an online self-service tool and simplified importing processes.

Collaborate with Indigenous people and communities

First Nations, Inuit and Métis people often face a number of barriers when trying to meet essential qualifications and conditions of employment. The CBSA's Indigenous Candidate Mentorship is a program designed to improve the experience for Indigenous people by providing personalized support and guidance throughout the assessment and hiring process. The program connects self-declared Indigenous candidates with Indigenous mentors to improve the recruitment experience and support their success in joining Canada's frontline.

The CBSA is committed to the Government of Canada's Reconciliation efforts, and works in collaboration with Indigenous communities throughout the Prairie Region. We recognize the importance of helping to facilitate the return of historic and culturally significant items to First Nations. In June 2024, border services officers welcomed a delegation from Siksika Nation at Calgary International Airport as they carried a repatriated headdress home. The Prairie Region's Indigenous Affairs Advisor worked closely with the Nation to facilitate a respectful clearance upon the item's re-entry into Canada.

Quotes

"Over the past year and beyond, the Canada Border Services Agency has played a pivotal role in combatting criminal activity by interdicting guns and illegal drugs at our borders. I would like to thank all employees, from every corner of the Agency, for their dedication in safeguarding the health and safety of our communities, and in maintaining the integrity of the border we share with our most important ally and trading partner, the United States."

–  The Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs

"The CBSA Prairie Region is committed to protecting Canadians by keeping illegal drugs, prohibited firearms, and other harmful items away from our communities, all while facilitating the legitimate flow of travel and trade in and out of Canada. Across 34 land, 26 air and 4 marine ports of entry spanning three provinces and one territory, I am extremely proud of the dedication of our frontline staff and all employees who work hard every day to support the economy and to keep our communities safe."

-  Janalee Bell-Boychuk, Regional Director General, Prairie Region, Canada Border Services Agency

Associated Links

• 2024 Year in review: CBSA protecting Canadians and supporting our economy
• 2024 Year in review: Accomplishments by the numbers
• Canada Border Services Agency enforcement action statistics

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SOURCE Canada Border Services Agency

Contacts: For more information or to schedule an interview with a CBSA representative, please contact: Media Relations, Canada Border Services Agency, [email protected], 1-877-761-5945