Mexican Cartels Eyeing B.C. as RCMP Disrupt Cocaine Trafficking Network

A recent RCMP operation in Surrey, B.C., has revealed rising interest from Mexican drug cartels in Canada as a new operational base. Federal Mounties arrested three men, including one Mexican national, who are allegedly connected to organized crime groups believed to be importing cocaine into the country.

RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Arash Seyed explained that transnational criminal groups are capitalizing on Canada’s market potential, operating like “business ventures” by leveraging local networks to gain a foothold. “As soon as Canadian police learned about the cartel attempting to set up in B.C., police began working to prevent the group from gaining a foothold here,” Seyed noted.

Luis Nájera, co-author of The Wolfpack: The Millennial Mobsters Who Brought Chaos and the Cartels to the Canadian Underworld, echoed Seyed’s concerns, citing Vancouver’s port as a major draw for cartels. “There’s a well-known corridor from Vancouver all the way down to California and into Mexico,” he said. Vancouver’s strategic port location enables quick access to both Asia and Western Canada.

The RCMP has intensified collaboration with the Canada Border Services Agency to bolster port security following what they described as “the largest, most sophisticated drug superlab in Canada.” According to Seyed, Canada’s West Coast is an attractive entry point for Mexican cocaine exports.