CBSA Quebec Region: Enforcement and operational highlights in 2021

The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), Quebec Region, presented enforcement and operational highlights for the period of January 1 to October 31, 2021.

The Quebec Region has 87 points of service including 32 land border crossings (five designated commercial offices), nine marine offices (including the ports of Montreal and Quebec City), six railway terminals, 25 international and secondary airports and one mail processing Centre. The points of service are located along the 813 km of shared border with the United States—the longest stretch of land border in Canada. The Region is also in charge of monitoring vessels along 2,500 km of coastline.

Keeping our communities safe

Since January 1, in all points of entry in Quebec, the CBSA has seized more than 1,500 prohibited weapons and prohibited weapon parts. These interceptions have prevented these weapons from entering the country and our communities.

On February 12 at Montréal-Trudeau Airport, Travellers sector, CBSA officers seized 1,165 fentanyl patches valued at $250,000 in the baggage of a Canadian traveller. The traveller appeared in court in the following days.

On February 15, CBSA seized 2.6 kg of opium (valued at $156,000) at the Léo-Blanchette International Mail Processing Centre in Montréal. Following this interception, the RCMP made an arrest.

On July 11, at Montréal-Trudeau Airport, Travellers sector, border services officers seized 25 kg of amphetamines (valued at $1,442,000.00) from a traveller from the Middle East. He was arrested. 

On July 24, at Montréal-Trudeau Airport, Travellers sector, CBSA seized $32,616 in undeclared cash from a traveller who was preparing to leave Canada. The currency was seized as suspected proceeds of crime.  

CBSA officers seized a prohibited firearm and magazine containing 19 rounds from a driver at the Noyan border on October 15, 2021. A $1,000 fine was imposed for failure to report and the weapon and the magazine were confiscated. The traveller was returned to the United States.

On October 15, at the Stanstead border crossing, CBSA officers seized, from a traveller’s vehicle, two high-capacity magazines for an AK weapon, a high-capacity 22 calibre magazine, a defused grenade and three grams of cannabis. The traveller was arrested, his weapons were confiscated, and he paid a fine of $500, after which he was returned to the United States.

Other examples of enforcement

On May 11, at Montréal-Trudeau Airport, Travellers sector, several undeclared luxury goods (with a total value of close to $400,000), including a diamond ring valued at $220,000, were confiscated from a Canadian traveller. The traveller had to pay $118,000 to recover her goods. Had the traveller truthfully declared the value of the goods, they would have paid about $89,000 in duties and taxes, nearly $29,000 less than the penalty that was assessed.

On July 16, following a CBSA investigation, a Colombian national was found guilty of using Mexican passports and misrepresenting their identity in order to enter Canada. Eleven other individuals, suspected of being members of transnational criminal organizations known as South American Theft Groups (SATGs), were also sentenced for contravening the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA). These individuals also committed thefts when they broke and entered homes and businesses in Canada.

On July 27, at the St-Armand border crossing, officers intercepted a luxury watch undervalued by $21,500. The traveller had to pay a total penalty of $16,155.69. Had the traveller declared the initial value of the watch honestly, they would have paid about $3,900 in taxes rather than $16,155.69.

The Calmar investigation put an end to an illegal recruitment agency, which brought in 178 foreign workers unauthorized to work in Canada. On September 16, 2021, at the Québec City courthouse, three business owners accused of hiring these 178 illegal workers in hotels in the greater Québec City area pleaded guilty.

Supporting a strong economy

More than 476,015 commercial trucks crossings were processed at CBSA at ports of entry in Quebec in 2021. Approximately 16 per cent of commercial freight in Canada passes through points of entry in Quebec.

In 2021, trade verifications conducted with points of entry led to the collection of $4.7 million in evaded duties and taxes in the field of textiles, thereby protecting the Canadian economy and domestic textile businesses.

Verifying the imports of two companies led to the collection of $277 million in duties and taxes for poultry and dairy products subject to supply management that were incorrectly declared by importers, thereby protecting Canada’s domestic producers.

Supporting other departments

CBSA conducted large-scale operations to support the Government of Canada’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

For example, during 2021, CBSA officers at Mirabel International Airport cleared millions of doses of COVID-19 vaccine, which were distributed across Canada.

Between February and July 2021, CBSA officers at Montréal-Trudeau Airport commercial intercepted over 370,000 counterfeit N95 masks thanks to a lookout notice from our National Targeting Centre.

Associated links

• Accomplishments by the numbers: Year in review
• COVID-19: Summary data about travellers, testing and compliance
• Canada Border Services Agency seizures