Six people are facing charges after New Brunswick police and border officials seized 28 kilograms of cocaine that were hidden inside hollowed-out pineapples.
The drugs, which had a street value of more than $3 million, were intercepted at the Saint John, N.B. port in two seperate shipments in August. Police announced the conclusion of their investigation this week.
"These particular shipments were bound for Scarborough and Brampton, Ont." said RCMP Supt. Guy Rook at a news conference Thursday.
"Our officers then used several techniques and equipment such as our detector dog Cricket. Our officers are certainly well trained in the examination of goods using X-ray technology and their own knowledge of goods coming into the country."
The shipment of pineapples, which contained both plug and pellet forms of cocaine, came from the South American nation of Guyana. The drugs were in cylinder-shaped packages and stuffed inside the hollowed-out cores of the pineapples.
Canada Border Services Agency district director Don Collins told CTV Atlantic that smugglers have become increasingly creative in their techniques.
"Over the past few years ...we've had several large, significant seizures in the land border, concealed in vegetables and fruit," Collins said.
Police in Saint John have been waging a focused, street level drug war since last November. As a result of that initiative 21 people face a total of 52 charges, mostly related to drug trafficking.
"Most of the charges were related to controlled drugs and substances," Sgt. Glenn Hayward said. "Approximately $19,000 of drugs were seized and $5,500 and a loaded shotgun."
With files from CTV Atlantic's Ashley Dunbar
