This article first appeared on https://www.blueline.ca/
The recent discovery of an advanced illegal drug manufacturing ‘super lab’1 in Falkland, B.C., by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) is an unambiguous warning of the consequences Canada faces if it fails to learn from the errors that led to America’s ongoing opioid crisis. America’s mistakes have resulted in the loss of hundreds of thousands of lives, a tragedy Canada can avoid if it acts decisively.
Inside this super lab, Canadian authorities seized2 54 kilograms of fentanyl (approximately 26 million fatal doses), 390 kilograms of methamphetamine, and smaller amounts of cocaine, MDMA and cannabis. They also uncovered enough precursor chemicals to triple the volume of ready-to-ship drugs on site. Even more concerning, the lab had the capability to create its own precursors using chemicals easily obtainable from hardware stores.
The most chilling aspect of the super lab was its elaborate and sophisticated equipment, pointing to the involvement of at least one transnational cartel. Production on this scale suggests that Canada’s existing transnational criminal organizations are potentially allied with Mexican cartels to develop strategic production facilities within Canada, focusing on a range of drugs, but especially the highly addictive and extremely profitable fentanyl.
A warning shot
The discovery of this sophisticated laboratory is a clear warning shot for Canada as it points to an increasingly aggressive approach from transnational cartels. The cartels and their local criminal partners have identified the region as a prime site for drug production and distribution, expecting little opposition from law enforcement.
Considering the size and production capacity of the facility, it indicates a manufacturing strategy for local and international distribution, positioning Canada as a crucial hub in the global illicit drug supply chain. And, as is typical for transnational cartels, the discovery of 89 firearms, including handguns, AR-15-style rifles, sub-machineguns and more, indicates they are very willing and able to defend their turf with deadly force.
While law enforcement agencies naturally operate against drug smuggling of any kind, they are often hampered in their efforts by those who, despite their good intentions, work to support the goals of narcotic gangs. Some provinces adopt a less confrontational ‘harm reduction’ approach in which they provide substance abuse victims with safe and clean drugs, equipment and support at government-authorized locations.
Unfortunately, the current progressive policies can attract drug production and distribution as these areas are seen as ‘soft on drugs.’ America learned this the hard way, with some cities today overrun with drugs and cartel operations due to their progressive policies, which may have played a role in the resulting 80,000 deaths each year from 2021 to 2023, with fentanyl playing a role in over 70 per cent of these.
Imports and exports
Canada is an ideal production and distribution hub in narcotics supply chains. It has trade relations with numerous countries, which can be used to smuggle drugs hidden among tons of legitimate goods, making them difficult to discover. Furthermore, criminal cartels in Asia and the Middle East have developed smuggling routes in and out of the country over many years. A super lab would leverage multiple partner organizations to distribute illicit products.
Of specific importance, the ease of traversing the southern border of the U.S.A. contributed to the American crisis, with most drug shipments arriving from Mexico hidden in vehicles or cargo containers each day. The ease of legitimately moving between America and Canada is similar, and smugglers can easily take advantage of it.
People who think that the situation isn’t serious because the Canada/America border has not seen significant trafficking in the past are mistaken. If the new incoming American administration prevents cartels from bringing their product through the southern border, they may switch to the ‘safer’ Canadian border to make up for the losses.
It’s not too late, however. Law enforcement agencies have a window of opportunity to use the super lab discovery as a catalyst to re-examine their counter-drug enforcement strategies and recognize and avoid the shortcoming of some US city policies. Canada must develop new approaches and implement new techniques to secure its borders against cartels while ensuring that legitimate trade and travel are not disrupted.
Business continuity planning
Believing the cartels are simply brutal thugs without any strategic insight and business risk planning is incorrect. While brutality is a core component of cartel life, they are also astute businesspeople who put as much effort into their business strategy and resources as large global enterprises. A critical component of a successful business strategy is business continuity and risk mitigation; if one or more components of your business fail, you need a mitigation plan to continue operations and avoid drastic disruption. The cartels would undoubtedly have a plan to cater to the likely scenario that law enforcement would discover and shut down a lab.
This super lab is likely to be only one of multiple similar labs either already built or in the process of being built in the country. While the discovery and loss of the lab are significant to the cartels, other locations will likely move into full operational mode once they have been built to replace it and continue production without much delay. This poses a significant risk for law enforcement and is potentially a ‘continuity of operations’ opportunity for the cartels as they simply relocate their human capital to their next production facility.
Learning from America's errors
Some key mistakes that America has made can provide insights to Canadian law enforcement. The first is that the way current progressive harm reduction strategies are applied is largely ineffective at reducing addiction rates and illicit drug sales. Providing “safe drugs” to users may seem like a good idea, but it only keeps them chained to their addiction by providing them with a ‘safe home base’ to abuse narcotics.
Harm reduction should not be abandoned. It is critical to support those vulnerable to substance addiction, provided this support is implemented with a core objective as an achievable outcome – getting addicts off narcotics, not making it ‘more comfortable’ to use drugs. The design and rollout of these policies must change to support victim recovery by helping substance users break free from the shackles of narcotics and safely reintegrate into society without providing loopholes for criminal elements.
Effective border control is also essential. Catching a few drug shipments crossing the border in vehicles or cargo containers makes for good publicity, but if the majority of the hidden drugs still get through, it makes no difference. Border authorities require improved processes and protocols, supported by sufficient personnel with access to advanced intelligence and technology to find and disrupt the flow of illicit narcotics before they disappear into the country.
One tactic to degrade smuggling is introducing a significantly enhanced identification and verification process to vet all traffic, including vehicles and people. This will ensure authorities know who is traversing the borders. This will mitigate risks while keeping goods and people moving with minimal delays, although the initial rollout may cause delays and frustration.
Similarly, national and provincial enforcement activities must be unified and strengthened through shared intelligence to make transporting and dealing in narcotics, even in small quantities, less attractive and profitable. The small street dealers or mom-and-pop operations all have connections to bigger suppliers. If law enforcement wants to shut down the network, they need to start at the bottom, arrest the smaller players and convince them to provide information on their suppliers. This will allow law enforcement to map out and uncover the dealer, supplier, and manufacturing narcotics network, move up the supply chain, and arrest all those involved. That is the only way the entire operation can be identified, degraded, and prosecuted.
Effective government mitigation
As noted, the opioid crisis has not impacted Canada to the extent that it affected America. As of March 2024, Canada has had 47,162 opioid-related deaths3 since January 2016, 81 per cent related to fentanyl. This is scant assurance when one realizes that the number of substance users and fatalities is rising. If the Canadian government wants to mitigate the worsening crisis, a collaborative effort is required across all government and provincial departments and agencies.
One of America’s biggest counter-narcotic threats and risks is the fact that there is no uniformity in its narcotics laws. Some states and cities with liberal policies and laws act as a drug user’s haven, which attracts the cartels and their proxies.
Uniform laws must be developed and enacted across Canada, ensuring there are no safe spaces for criminal organizations anywhere in the country. Irrespective of ideology or political leanings, the safety and security of Canadians must be the focal point of drug legislation and harm reduction policies should be updated to support and assist victims, not the cartels.
There also needs to be a way for Canadian authorities to monitor the sale of chemicals, which contractors and pharmaceutical companies often use for legitimate purposes, but which can be used to manufacture precursor chemicals. The law must be updated to oblige companies and individuals buying more chemicals than is plausible to register and provide legitimate reasons for their purchase.
Border controls must be further optimized to manage who enters the country through strict vetting procedures. Border authorities must adopt standardized, fast, accurate technologies and efficient human processes to monitor cargo. This proactive approach will ensure that legitimate travel and trade continue while restricting illegal goods and individuals. Additionally, a zero-tolerance policy must be implemented in terms of policing and prosecution of narcotics manufacturing and distribution.
Canada is no stranger to the illicit narcotic trade. However, to date, the impact on its population and economy is less than that of America. The discovery of the super lab is a clear indication that criminal organizations are starting to pay attention to the country due to the ease with which they believe they will be able to manufacture and distribute drugs.
The country’s government and law enforcement agencies can learn from the mistakes made in the U.S. and prevent it from happening in Canada. Continuing with the same policies and ideologies will yield the same results: an increase in fatalities and wasted funds in efforts to implement progressive harm reduction strategies that fail to achieve the desired outcomes. Furthermore, law enforcement agencies will continue to struggle to operate effectively against transnational criminal organizations.
References
- “Inside the ‘most sophisticated’ drug lab in Canadian history.” CBC News. YouTube. Accessed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJSfgf3x9QA.
- “Canadian Mounties bust massive drug ‘super lab’ linked to transnational organized crime.” The Associated Press. Accessed at https://apnews.com/article/canada-drug-bust-lab-c0faf8130a9859db772b8c5fe88cc745.
- “Opioid- and Stimulant-related Harms in Canada.” Government of Canada. Accessed at https://health-infobase.canada.ca/substance-related-harms/opioids-stimulants/?form=MG0AV3.
Views expressed in this interview are opinions of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Rigaku Analytical Devices.
