CBSA officers seized 209 kilograms of opium hidden inside a large piece of commercial machinery weighing about 11,000 kilograms, found within a shipping container at the Burnaby Container Examination Facility in Metro Vancouver.

The seizure happened on March 26 and was publicly announced by the CBSA on December 5, 2025.

Video footage shows investigators cutting into the container as part of the seizure process.

A CBSA video reveals a welder cutting through the machinery and uncovering multiple opium packages inside.

The 209 kilograms amount represents nearly half of that year’s total opioid seizures, underscoring the scale of border-related opiate interdictions.

The March 26 seizure occurred within a broader context of the previous fiscal year, during which Canada seized 448 kilograms of opioids including opium, methadone, and morphine.

The inbound container originated from the United Arab Emirates and was inspected by the CBSA’s detector dog team before being referred to border services officers in Metro Vancouver.

The container arrived in Metro Vancouver from the United Arab Emirates.