VANCOUVER — RCMP in British Columbia say they have foiled an operation to smuggle methamphetamine to Melbourne, Australia, hidden in jars of pickles.
The Mounties say the investigation was carried out with the help of Australian Federal Police and Canada Border Services Agency, resulting in the seizure of 115 kilograms of the drug at the Tsawwassen, B.C., container facility in January.
Two male suspects aged 40 and 63 were arrested in Australia on March 17, while a 46-year-old foreign national was arrested the same day in Kelowna, B.C.
RCMP say the suspects in Australia have been charged with drug offences, while the man arrested in Kelowna has been released pending further investigations, with a referral to the CBSA for potential immigration enforcement action.
As part of the investigation, RCPM officers executed search warrants in Abbotsford, Kelowna and the Lower Nicola region, seizing cellphones and other devices.
RCMP say Australian police meanwhile searched homes in Sydney and Melbourne, seizing $400,000 in cash, eight one-kilogram silver bars, a luxury vehicle, jewelry and watches, electronic devices and drug paraphernalia.
Tim Arseneault, acting deputy regional commander for RCMP federal policing in the Pacific region says in a statement that the operation was “the direct result of sustained international co-operation and the dedication of law enforcement professionals across multiple countries.”
“Drug trafficking knows no borders, and neither does our drive to confront it,” he says.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 26, 2026.
The Canadian Press
