Police taskforce seizes 386 kg of fentanyl in nationwide crackdown
In a major victory against organized crime, Canadian police have seized a staggering 386 kilograms of deadly fentanyl and nearly 6 tonnes of cocaine, arresting 217 individuals.
In a major victory against organized crime, Canadian police have seized a staggering 386 kilograms of deadly fentanyl and nearly 6 tonnes of cocaine, arresting 217 individuals, many of whom were already out on bail, in a nationwide crackdown on drug trafficking.
The National Fentanyl Sprint 2.0, which ran from May 20 to Oct. 31, 2025, involved over 100 law enforcement and intelligence agencies under the Canadian Integrated Response to Organized Crime (CIROC).
Representatives at a virtual media technical briefing were reluctant to confirm whether the seizure represented the largest fentanyl-related crackdown in Canadian history. However, the amounts detailed in materials provided to media far surpass the 54 kg seized in late October 2024 at what police described as a “drug superlab” in Falkland, B.C.—a bust the RCMP had hailed as the largest superlab takedown in the country’s history at the time.
Co-chaired by Royal Canadian Mounted Police Assistant Commissioner Bonnie Ferguson and Sûreté du Québec Deputy Director General Benoît Dubé, the initiative targeted fentanyl production labs, distribution networks and financial enablers, emphasizing the disruption of organized crime. RCMP officials noted a “particularly high uptick” in transnational crime groups during the operation.
When reporter Judy Trinh asked if officers could name the transnational crime groups specifically involved, a responding officer indicated it would be challenging to single out one, estimating that more than 200 organized crime groups are active in the Canadian illicit fentanyl market.
The fentanyl haul was predominantly concentrated in Ontario (263 kilograms) and British Columbia (85 kilograms), representing about 90 per cent of the total. Smaller amounts surfaced in Alberta (23 kilograms) and Manitoba (five kilograms), with trace seizures scattered across New Brunswick, Quebec, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, the Northwest Territories, Prince Edward Island, Saskatchewan and Yukon.
The operation also netted 270 kilograms of precursor chemicals essential for drug synthesis, largely in Quebec (224 kilograms) and British Columbia (38 kilograms), alongside minimal recoveries in Ontario, Alberta, Nova Scotia, Manitoba, the Northwest Territories and Saskatchewan.
Missing from the data provided to media was any information related to potential imports or exports of fentanyl—a hot topic through much of the year, owing largely to the Trump administration’s repeated claims that Canadian fentanyl is “pouring in” over the Canada-U.S. border.
When asked whether any of the seized drugs were set for export, RCMP officials reiterated multiple times that they do not believe so, stressing the drugs were most likely intended for the domestic market.
The authorities added that their knowledge and intelligence indicate southbound exports of fentanyl remain minimal, with border interceptions of the drug—in both directions—tending to be so small that authorities believe those instances involve quantities meant for personal use rather than distribution.
These statements from the RCMP are supported by the U.S.’s own Customs and Border Protection data and similar comments made by American law enforcement.
For example, CBSA President Erin O’Gorman said the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration has characterized the amount coming from Canada as “slippage”—a word used by drug enforcement agencies and border police to describe small amounts sent over for personal use, mostly by post.
On a global scale, however, journalist Sam Cooper noted during the briefing that these claims about Canada not being a major fentanyl exporter based on this haul are contradicted by a 2023 CBC News story detailing RCMP statements on significant Canadian-made fentanyl exports to countries like Australia and New Zealand.
Beyond drugs, the crackdown yielded $13.46 million in cash and saw 217 individuals arrested for fentanyl trafficking while on bail. No names of arrestees were provided, nor was there a breakdown regarding the citizenship or immigration status of those arrested.