The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) says it has deployed its first-ever canine unit that specializes in the detection of fentanyl.
The announcement was made Thursday after the CBSA held an induction ceremony for 57 officers who have completed their training.
The CBSA has been using canines to sniff out drugs at the border since the 1970s. There are currently more than 80 detection dog teams across the country, but this will be the first team dedicated to detecting fentanyl.
Last year, the CBSA conducted almost 30,000 searches using detector dogs, resulting in close to 35,000 seizures of drugs, firearms, and currency.
The new canine team comes as part of a $1.3 billion investment to combat the flow of fentanyl between Canada and the U.S., as announced in 2024 by the federal government under former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
