Mississauga man sentenced following investigation into cannabis smuggling through Ottawa airport

RCMP say 37 kg of dried cannabis was seized at the Ottawa International Airport in 2023. A suspect was sentenced in September 2025 after pleading guilty to possession of cannabis for exportation. (RCMP/supplied)

RCMP say a Mississauga, Ont., man has been sentenced after an investigation into cannabis trafficking through the Ottawa International Airport.

The incident began in 2023, according to police. Mounties say drug-detecting dogs found 37 kilograms of dried cannabis in suitcases bound for Birmingham, U.K., via Paris, on Nov. 9, 2023. The traveller was arrested, and the cannabis was seized.

RCMP say the man, identified as Kyowa Shaw, acknowledged in a joint interview with the RCMP and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to being compensated $2,000 for the flight ticket and was promised $10,000 upon delivery of the drugs in England.

Based on prices on the Ontario Cannabis Store, 37 kg of dried cannabis would cost approximately $132,000.

Shaw pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis for exportation and possession of over 30 g of dried cannabis on May 8, 2025, RCMP said in a news release. He was sentenced on Sept. 11 to an 18-month conditional sentence order.

“This case underscores the strength of our partnership with the Canada Border Services Agency,” said S/Sgt. Martin Gauthier of the RCMP in the release. “By working together, we were able to disrupt the illegal exportation of cannabis and hold those responsible accountable.”

The CBSA says criminal groups often target vulnerable individuals with cash or travel offers to smuggle drugs.

“We’re working with our partners to educate communities most at risk of being recruited, to disrupt the flow of illegal goods and to prevent the proceeds of crime from fueling further harm,” said Jag Johnston, regional director general of the CBSA’s Northern Ontario Region.

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