Police in Canada have confiscated large quantities of fentanyl and brought charges against numerous individuals during a significant five-month operation called the National Fentanyl Sprint 2.0, according to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). Despite concerns from the U.S. government, officials emphasized that Canada is not a major exporter of the drug.
The operation, which ran from May to October and involved over 100 law enforcement agencies nationwide, targeted fentanyl traffickers, production facilities, distribution networks, and financial supporters. It resulted in 8,136 arrests and charges, along with the seizure of 386 kilograms of fentanyl, 270 kilograms of precursor chemicals, 5,989 kilograms of cocaine, 1,708 kilograms of methamphetamine, and $13.46 million in cash.
During a media briefing, it was revealed that the seized fentanyl accounted for 78% of the total fentanyl seized in Canada this year. Of the arrests made, 217 were related to fentanyl trafficking while on bail. Kevin Brosseau, the government’s fentanyl czar, expressed astonishment at the scale of the crisis across various cities and towns in the country.
Efforts to combat the flow of fentanyl have intensified since the re-election of U.S. President Donald Trump, who has previously linked the drug entering the U.S. to tariffs on Canada. In response to these tariff threats, the Canadian government implemented a $1.3 billion border plan.
Officials emphasized that the majority of the seized fentanyl was intended for domestic use rather than the U.S. market. Dan Anson, the director general of intelligence and investigations at the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), stated that only about 400 grams of the seized fentanyl was destined for transportation north or southbound, describing it as negligible.
The operation was conducted through the Canadian Integrated Response to Organized Crime (CIROC), a collaborative law enforcement effort aimed at disrupting organized crime through intelligence, co-chaired by the RCMP and the Sûreté du Québec. However, officials refrained from disclosing the specific organized crime groups involved in the operation.