Woman tried to smuggle nearly $250K worth of cannabis from Canada to UK: RCMP
Posted November 25, 2024 5:29 pm.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officers say they found around 62 kilograms of cannabis in a woman’s luggage at Pearson International Airport in October, 2023.
The seized cannabis, which authorities say was heading to the United Kingdom, has a street value of around $248,000.
The cannabis was discovered during an outbound baggage examination.
Justyne Carmen Burger-Samules, 26, was arrested and charged with export contrary to Section 11 of the Cannabis Act.
The RCMP notes that penalties for cannabis importation in the United Kingdom can be as high as 14 years in prison.
“Although cannabis is decriminalized in Canada, it is still illegal to carry any amount of cannabis on international flights and amounts exceeding personal use, on domestic flights,” Inspector John McMath Officer in Charge, RCMP Toronto Airport Detachment, said in a release.
“This latest arrest again highlights the fact that if a passenger chooses to smuggle cannabis, they will be arrested and charged with serious criminal drug smuggling charges.”
Burger-Samules will appear in court on December 5, 2024.
