Business
U.S. Seizes Fentanyl Shipment From Canada In Seattle, As Washington Pressures Ottawa on Crime Networks
U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers have intercepted a shipment containing more than one pound of fentanyl from Canada, marking the latest sign of an accelerating crisis along the BC-Washington border. The fentanyl, concealed within a package believed to have originated in British Columbia, was discovered during a targeted enforcement operation at a Seattle shipping facility on February 6.
The package contained a brown, rock-like substance wrapped in plastic bags. Subsequent testing confirmed it was fentanyl, the synthetic opioid driving tens of thousands of overdose deaths in North America each year.
Area Port Director Rene Ortega, speaking about the seizure, underscored its broader implications. “Fentanyl is an extremely dangerous synthetic drug that continues to devastate communities across the United States,” Ortega said. “CBP remains committed to using every available tool to stop these lethal substances before they reach our streets.”
The latest seizure is part of an escalating pattern that has prompted increasingly aggressive responses from Washington. President Donald Trump has warned of sweeping tariffs in the coming weeks unless Ottawa delivers a credible, actionable plan to crack down on transnational crime networks driving fentanyl production. These networks—operating primarily out of British Columbia—are deeply entrenched with organized crime groups from China and Mexico.
The Bureau has reported extensively on Washington’s mounting frustration with Canada’s handling of the fentanyl crisis. BC Mayor Brad West, who has been in direct communication with senior U.S. officials, has described an urgent shift in tone from American law enforcement and intelligence agencies. In a high-level 2023 meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, West was briefed on just how seriously Washington views Canada’s role in the illicit drug trade.
“This is no longer just a Canadian domestic issue,” West told The Bureau. “Secretary Blinken made it clear that the Biden administration sees fentanyl as an existential threat. They’re building a global coalition and need Canada fully on board. If we don’t show real progress, the U.S. will protect itself by any means—tariffs or otherwise.”
Concerns extend beyond law enforcement. According to multiple sources with direct knowledge of U.S. intelligence assessments, American agencies have begun withholding key evidence from their Canadian counterparts, citing a lack of confidence that Ottawa will act on it. West confirmed that in his ongoing discussions with senior U.S. officials, they have voiced alarm over the level of access major figures in Asian organized crime appear to have within Canada’s political class.
“They’re basically asking, ‘What’s going on in Canada?’” West said.
The frustration is not new. For years, U.S. and international law enforcement agencies have sought to curb the transnational reach of organizations like Sam Gor, the powerful Asian organized crime syndicate that dominates much of the fentanyl precursor supply chain. But Canada’s response has been widely seen as inadequate. Critics argue that political sensitivities and reluctance to confront entrenched criminal networks have left Canadian law enforcement hamstrung.
The question now is whether Ottawa will take decisive action. Bringing forward measures as sweeping as a RICO-style anti-mafia statute or invoking the notwithstanding clause to bypass legal obstacles to tougher enforcement would represent a sharp departure from the status quo. Both approaches would require confronting entrenched political, legal and economic interests, as well as explaining why existing laws have failed to secure convictions against the most powerful actors in organized crime.
West believes the shifting geopolitical landscape may force Ottawa’s hand. Washington’s patience, he warns, ran thin years ago—and the U.S. is now signaling it will no longer wait.
The Bureau is a reader-supported publication.
To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
MxM News
Quick Hit:
Elon Musk announced he will consult with President Donald Trump on a proposal to issue tax refund checks to Americans using savings from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The idea, originally suggested by Azoria CEO James Fishback, would involve distributing a portion of the funds DOGE claims to have saved from government cost-cutting measures. While Musk aims to reduce federal spending by $2 trillion, questions remain about the actual savings achieved by DOGE.
Key Details:
- Musk responded on X that he would “check with the President” regarding the proposed tax refunds.
- The plan suggests using 20% of DOGE’s $2 trillion spending cut goal—roughly $400 billion—to provide up to $5,000 per household.
- Reports indicate that DOGE’s reported savings may be overstated, with Bloomberg and the New York Times pointing to discrepancies in the numbers.
Diving Deeper:
Elon Musk’s latest proposal to return taxpayer dollars through a “DOGE Dividend” has sparked discussion on federal spending and fiscal responsibility. The initiative, first floated by James Fishback, argues that savings uncovered by DOGE’s cost-cutting efforts should be refunded to taxpayers. Fishback compared it to a private sector refund when a company fails to deliver on its promises.
Musk, who leads DOGE’s advisory group, has set an ambitious goal of cutting $2 trillion from the federal government’s $6.75 trillion budget. Under Fishback’s model, 20% of those savings—$400 billion—could be distributed among American households, potentially yielding checks of around $5,000 per family.
However, skepticism surrounds DOGE’s actual savings. Bloomberg reported that only $16.6 billion of the $55 billion in savings claimed by DOGE is accounted for on its website. The New York Times revealed a miscalculation in which DOGE erroneously reported an $8 billion saving on a federal contract that was actually $8 million.
Despite legal challenges against DOGE’s authority, a federal judge recently denied an injunction that sought to block the agency’s access to federal databases or its ability to recommend government employee firings.
The concept of direct payments from the federal government has precedent. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Trump administration issued stimulus checks to Americans, with Trump’s signature appearing on IRS payments for the first time in history. Whether the current proposal will gain traction under Trump’s leadership remains to be seen.
Musk’s willingness to discuss the idea with President Trump signals that the proposal may be seriously considered, though practical and political hurdles remain.
The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is criticizing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for borrowing billions more for high-speed rail between Toronto and Quebec City.
“Trudeau is only prime minister for another couple of weeks so he shouldn’t be borrowing billions more for a new taxpayer boondoggle,” said Franco Terrazzano, CTF Federal Director. “Somebody needs to take the credit card away from the lame duck prime minister before he puts Canada further into debt.”
The Trudeau government announced a high-speed rail line between Toronto and Quebec City.
“The co-development phase of the project represents $3.9 billion over six years,” according to the government’s news release. “This is in addition to the $371.8 million that was provided in Budget 2024.”
The government estimated a railway line between Toronto and Quebec City would cost up to $12 billion in 2021.
The federal government ran a $62-billion deficit last year. That’s $20 billion higher than its promised fiscal guardrail.
The Trudeau government doubled the debt in less than a decade. Interest charges on the debt are costing taxpayers $54 billion this year. For context, the government is wasting more money on debt interest charges than it sends to the provinces in health-care transfers.
The government already owns a railway company, VIA Rail. The government gave VIA Rail $1.8 billion over the last five years to cover its operating losses, according to the Crown corporation’s annual report.
“The government is running huge deficits and spending hundreds of millions of dollars bailing out its current train company, the last thing taxpayers need is to pay higher debt interest charges for Trudeau’s new train boondoggle,” Terrazzano said. “The government is broke, Canadians can’t afford higher taxes and Trudeau shouldn’t be borrowing billions more while he’s walking out the door.”
Alleged Human Traffickers arrested in Red Deer, Montreal, and Edmonton
New Documentary “Cooking with Hot Stones” Explores History of Fort Assiniboine, Alberta
Two New Studies Find Fewer Clouds Cause Warmer Temps
U.S. Seizes Fentanyl Shipment From Canada In Seattle, As Washington Pressures Ottawa on Crime Networks
Carbon tariff proposal carries risks and consequences for Canada
USAID funnelled $472 million into Soros-backed media censorship group: report
Trump signs executive order to ‘make America healthy again,’ address chronic disease
-
Alberta23 hours agoU.S. tariffs or not, Canada needs to build new oil and gas pipeline space fast
-
COVID-1923 hours agoFreedom Convoy leader says Trudeau gov’t has spent $5 million prosecuting her, fellow protester
-
Alberta22 hours agoPremier Smith and Health Mininster LaGrange react to AHS allegations
-
Energy1 day agoUnlocking Canada’s energy potential
-
Business2 days agoElon reveals millions of people in Social Security database between the ages of 100-159
-
Business1 day ago
Lame duck prime minister shouldn’t announce taxpayer train boondoggle
-
Crime2 days agoCartel threats against border agents include explosives, drones
-
armed forces2 days agoSecDef Hegseth picks investigators to examine botched Afghanistan withdrawal