January 26, 2026
RED FM News Desk
Marking International Customs Day on January 26, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) released its 2024–2025 year-in-review, highlighting a massive surge in enforcement actions. The agency reported significant success in safeguarding Canada’s borders, most notably through a historic increase in the interdiction of illegal narcotics and prohibited weapons.
According to the report, the CBSA seized a staggering 83,211 kg of illegal drugs in 2025, a sharp rise from the 52,057 kg intercepted the previous year. The data reveals a particularly alarming trend in high-potency narcotics: heroin seizures skyrocketed by 237% to 128 kg, while methamphetamine seizures rose 10% to 2,397 kg. Additionally, the agency intercepted 46,608 kg of cannabis (a 162% increase) and 4,725 kg of cocaine, representing a 3% rise.
Weapon and vehicle enforcement also saw a high volume of activity. Officers confiscated more than 17,700 prohibited weapons and over 830 firearms at various points of entry. In a bid to crack down on organized crime, the agency successfully intercepted 1,590 stolen vehicles before they could be exported out of the country. Beyond criminal enforcement, the agency’s Our Missing Children Program successfully reunited 35 abducted or missing children with their families.
On the immigration front, the CBSA removed approximately 22,000 foreign nationals for violating immigration laws and deemed 40,693 individuals inadmissible at land border crossings, subsequently turning them away. Despite these enforcement pressures, the agency maintained the flow of legitimate travel and trade, processing nearly 82 million travellers and 5 million commercial trucks over the past year.
Financially, the agency’s Assessment and Revenue Management (CARM) system collected $47.5 billion in duties and taxes, marking a $2 billion increase over previous years. To sustain this momentum, the CBSA confirmed the recruitment of 1,000 new officers. These additional personnel will be specifically deployed to bolster efforts against firearm smuggling, the drug trade, and the illegal export of stolen vehicles.
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