Massive fentanyl precursor seizure exposes cartel infiltration at B.C. gateway: Sam Cooper.

By Sam Cooper | The Bureau

For the original article this summary is based on, see the publisher’s website here: Canada Seizes 4,300 Litres of Chinese Drug Precursors Amid Trump’s Tariff Pressure Over Fentanyl Flows | The Bureau

In Brief by Probe International

In a startling revelation that underscores Canada’s escalating role in synthetic drug trafficking, Canadian authorities have announced the interception of a staggering 4,300 litres of precursor chemicals linked to the production of fentanyl at a notorious port in Delta, British Columbia. This monumental seizure, the second-largest of its kind in the province over the past decade, has raised urgent questions about the security of Canada’s borders and the alarming use of British Columbia as a staging ground for international drug cartels.

Although the announcement has just been released, the seizure actually occurred in May 2025. Acting on intelligence, border officers detained two marine containers from China, destined for Calgary, holding 3,600 litres of 1,4 Butanediol, a precursor for GHB, along with 500 litres of Propionyl Chloride, essential for synthesizing fentanyl, and 200 litres of Gamma Butyrolactone (GBL), another controlled intoxicant. The chemicals were concealed in 60 clear jugs and 20 blue drums, indicating their intended use in clandestine drug laboratories.

The Delta seizure follows a series of major CBSA border security operations targeting precursor chemicals at Pacific ports. In May 2022, CBSA officers in the Metro Vancouver District examined a container from China declared as “toys” and discovered 1,133 kilograms of the fentanyl-precursor chemical Propionyl Chloride, with the potential to produce more than a billion doses of fentanyl. The Port of Vancouver complex, encompassing key terminals in Delta, Surrey, and Vancouver, processes approximately three million containers each year, with millions more anticipated as expansion plans progress.

Experts warn that criminal organizations are increasingly exploiting vulnerabilities in federal enforcement efforts. Citing a 2023 report by the City of Delta, investigative journalist Sam Cooper writes:

[The report highlights] major vulnerabilities at port terminal facilities, warning that there is “literally no downside” for organized criminals to infiltrate port operations. The report noted that British Columbia’s provincial threat assessment rated ports as highly susceptible to corruption and organized-crime infiltration.

At the time, Delta Mayor George Harvie called the lack of a dedicated national port-policing force “a threat to national security.” In comments to the Canadian Press, Harvie said that while Canada’s ports fall under federal jurisdiction, the “total absence of uniformed police at the facilities makes them obvious targets for criminal elements — from Mexican drug cartels to biker gangs.”

The Delta report emphasized the challenges of policing these extensive operations since the disbandment of the Ports Canada Police in 1997. Over 25 years later, Mayor Harvie stated that the repercussions of that decision are now “alarmingly clear.” [See also: ‘Incredible’ Ports Here Have No Police Force, Says Delta Mayor]

The Deltaport seizure was announced amid ongoing pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump for Ottawa to combat fentanyl trafficking.