The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) has reported another significant drug seizure at the Coutts, Alberta, Canada-U.S. border crossing. On March 8, a 26-year-old man from Calgary was apprehended after attempting to smuggle 108 kilograms of cocaine into Canada.
CBSA officers, during routine inspections of goods and individuals entering the country, discovered the cocaine concealed within a commercial vehicle originating from the United States. “Officers performing their regular day-to-day function here at the border were examining goods and people entering the country and encountered the shipment of cocaine,” stated Benjamin Tame, CBSA Director for Southern Alberta.
The accused faces charges of importation of a controlled substance and possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking. He is scheduled to appear in court in Lethbridge on May 7.
This latest seizure follows two other substantial drug busts at the Coutts crossing within the past month, where nearly $3 million worth of cocaine and methamphetamine were intercepted. The CBSA, along with the RCMP and Calgary Police Service, conducted the operation leading to the 108-kilogram cocaine seizure. Authorities believe the seized drugs were destined for Calgary.
While acknowledging a heightened security presence along the Canada-U.S. border, Tame emphasized that large drug seizures are not uncommon. “Our officers are on a fairly regular basis — whether it makes it into the press or not — they are regularly intercepting these types of drugs and quantities,” he said.
“By intercepting these drugs, we’ve kept harmful substances out of our communities and collectively made our cities safer,” said Supt. Jeff Bell of the Calgary Police Service.
Tame highlighted the broader impact of the officers’ work: “What officers are doing here in Coutts directly impacts the towns, the communities, the cities that Albertans live in. It affects every facet of society — our health care, our law enforcement partners, our schools, families, communities — and you know, even the drug users, it’s preserving and protecting life.”
In 2024, CBSA officers at the Coutts crossing seized over 1,300 kilograms of illicit narcotics.
20 March 2025
