After almost eight kilograms of heroin were seized from a traveller’s suitcase on Thursday last week, border agents stationed at Montreal’s Pierre-Elliott-Trudeau International Airport seized nearly six others in the same circumstances last Monday.
Posted at 8:43pm
Daniel Renaud LaPresse
As on Thursday last week, the drugs were discovered in the suitcase of a passenger arriving from South Africa who was immediately arrested by Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers stationed at the airport.
A 0.05 gram dose of heroin costs $20 on the street, and experts say five kilograms of heroin is worth more than $2 million on the black market.
“The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) seized suspected heroin at Montreal-Trudeau Airport early evening on May 16, totaling 5.8 kg with an estimated value of $2.3 million, with the help of the dog Pixie. The suspected heroin was found in the traveller’s luggage. The traveler entered Canada from Johannesburg, South Africa via Doha, Qatar. The RCMP is investigating,” CBSA spokesman Patrick Mahaffy told La Presse.
The passenger, Jenny Siaw Ying Wong, 59, who is believed to be based in British Columbia, was charged Monday at the Montreal Courthouse with importing heroin and possessing heroin for the purpose of trafficking.
Prosecutors have opposed his release and his bail hearing has been set for Thursday next week to hold it.
Ms Wong arrived from South Africa after making a stopover in Qatar, as did Maurice Nadeau, 68, a resident of the small northern Quebec town of Chapais, who was arrested at Trudeau Airport last week with nearly 8 kilograms of heroin in his suitcase.
While it was an X-ray machine that allowed customs officials to discover the drugs allegedly being transported by Mr Nadeau, what was hidden in Ms Wong’s alleged suitcase was found thanks to the pixie sniffer dog sent to us by the CBSA.
More than 13 kilograms of heroin seized in five days, bringing the total black market value to over $5 million.
According to our information, other similar heroin seizures have recently taken place at Toronto’s Pearson Airport.
The RCMP in Montreal declined to comment on these seizures to avoid disrupting the judicial process.
To reach Daniel Renaud, dial 514.285-7000, extension 4918, write to [email protected] or write to the La Presse mailing address.