2019 Law Enforcement Roundtable on Drugs
Meeting Summary

2019 Law Enforcement Roundtable on Drugs PDF Version (369 KB)

Introduction

The opioid crisis continues to be a public health and public safety issue that significantly impacts individuals, families and communities across Canada and beyond our borders. The implications of this crisis are far-reaching and have affected all demographics. In Canada alone, recent data indicate that more than 10,300 apparent opioid-related deaths occurred between January 2016 and September 2018, ninety-three percent of which were accidental. The magnitude of this crisis requires that urgent action be taken.

The Government of Canada is deeply concerned about the number of overdoses and deaths associated with opioids and illicit substances. The first priority of the Government of Canada is to protect the safety and security of Canadians. As such, Public Safety Canada actively works with federal, provincial and territorial governments, international partners, and key stakeholders to ensure that law enforcement have the tools they need to combat opioids and other illicit drugs.

To foster these partnerships, Public Safety Canada hosted the second-annual Law Enforcement Roundtable on Drugs on March 29, 2019, in Halifax, Nova Scotia. This event provided a forum for representatives of law enforcement, academia, Indigenous communities, governmental and non-governmental organizations and individuals with lived experience to share experiences, perspectives and challenges in responding to the opioid crisis (see Appendix A for a list of organizations represented at the meeting).

This event was held in follow up to the 2018 Law Enforcement Roundtable on the Opioid Crisis, which was hosted by the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction with support from Public Safety Canada. Building on the success of last year's roundtable, this year's event continued discussions on the following issues:

This year's event also included discussions about emerging drug trends and threats and the impact of gender and diversity in the illicit drug trade.

The objectives of the roundtable were to:

Opening Remarks

Trevor Bhupsingh, Director General, Law Enforcement and Border Strategies Directorate, provided the opening remarks on behalf of Ellen Burack, Assistant Deputy Minister, Community Safety and Countering Crime Branch, Public Safety Canada. He underscored that engaging with international and local law enforcement partners on the challenges and achievements experienced in combatting the opioid crisis and illicit drugs is critical to developing a path forward. The importance of viewing the illicit drug situation from a regional perspective was also highlighted as essential to understanding the scope of the issue.

Highlights from Plenary Sessions

The roundtable agenda consisted of three plenary sessions and four breakout sessions where presenters shared their diverse experiences and expertise. Presentations were followed by a question and answer period.

Plenary Session 1: The Role of Organized Crime and Criminality in the Illicit Drug Trade

This session examined the relationship between organized crime and the illicit drug trade and how law enforcement and intelligence agencies monitor, target and combat organized crime. Presenters emphasized that organized crime groups (OCGs) are increasingly involved in all aspects of the illicit drug supply chain and are using more and more sophisticated methods to commit drug-related crimes, which complicates detection and disruption efforts by law enforcement. OCGs are continually adapting and are often involved in other forms of crime (e.g. human trafficking, sex trafficking, money laundering and illegal firearms).

During the session, it was noted that the trafficking of illicit substances by transnational organized crime networks is on the rise in Canada. Specifically, OCGs originating in Mexico have been increasingly involved in the trafficking of illicit drugs, including methamphetamines and opioids, to North America.

OCGs are becoming increasingly involved in different drug markets, giving rise to poly-drug trafficking as well as increased trafficking of cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl. With respect to the fentanyl market, the profitability and relative ease of entry into Canada attracts OCGs, leading to greater supply and potential for harm.

With respect to dismantling organized crime operations, it was noted that collaboration and intelligence-sharing amongst law enforcement partners, both domestically and internationally, is critical. Also important are relationships between law enforcement and non-law enforcement partners, including private industry, government and non-government agencies, and communities. Programs such as Bar Watch and Restaurant Watch, in Vancouver, British Columbia, are examples of private industry and law enforcement working together to promote community safety, while Her Time and End Gang Life provide education and resources to deter individuals from pursuing gang-related or organized crime lifestyles.

Plenary Session 2: Emerging Drug Trends and Threats

This session discussed illicit drug trends that are increasingly visible to the law enforcement community. Discussions highlighted the current status of illegal drug threats, the challenges experienced by law enforcement in mitigating these threats, and action required to effectively address the harms posed by these substances. Presentations provided insight into trends observed nationally and regionally, with a focus on Nova Scotia and Manitoba.

At both the national and international level, an increase in demand for and consumption of synthetic drugs, such as methamphetamine, was identified. The method by which synthetic drugs are being sold and distributed was also noted to be shifting, such that a significant portion of synthetic drug transactions are now occurring online through the dark web. By extension, there is a growing trend  of dark web vendors using the postal and courier systems to facilitate the movement of illicit drugs. This has led to concerns over the Canada Post Corporation Act, which prevents law enforcement from seizing, detaining, or retaining parcels or letters in the course of mail unless a warrant is obtained on the basis of a suspected national security risk. Moreover, the use, possession, and sale of domestic pill presses and designated devices for the production of illicit drugs continue to present challenges for law enforcement. Efforts to ensure that precursor chemicals are used for legitimate purposes, rather than for the production of illicit substances, such as methamphetamine, were also identified as a priority.

At the regional level, presenters shared their perspectives on illicit drug trends being observed by law enforcement in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and Winnipeg, Manitoba. Consistent with national trends, methamphetamine was noted to be a significant threat in Winnipeg and other regions across the Prairies. Methamphetamine is cheap to produce, provides a longer “high” than other drugs, and is highly profitable, which has created a desirable market for OCGs and criminal entrepreneurs.

While methamphetamine does not present the same mortality risk as opioids, the impact on individuals and communities can be devastating. From a community safety perspective, the rise of methamphetamine consumption has been linked to an increase in property crime and violent crime. Moreover, unlike naloxone therapy to treat an opioid overdose, there is no antidote to counteract the effects of methamphetamine use. Participants learned of the difficulties that law enforcement and health care personnel face when interacting with individuals who use methamphetamine - particularly when the individual is in a psychotic state or “tweaking,” and the lack of available on-demand treatment options.

In Halifax, it was noted that crack cocaine is the street drug of choice, but that seizures of illicit drugs containing fentanyl are increasing. While initiatives such as the Nova Scotia Prescription Monitoring Program have led to a decrease in prescription drug seizures, they have also led to an increase in online illicit drug purchases. While enforcement and prosecution remain the key functions of policing activities in Halifax, the value of community education, outreach, and prevention in addressing the root causes of crime was highlighted. In addition, the importance of using a trauma-based approach to policing is not to be understated. The Halifax Regional Police have implemented a variety of specialized policing services that support a progressive community response model.

Plenary Session 3: International Perspectives and Border Security Enforcement

This session explored challenges experienced by domestic and international law enforcement and border security personnel in detecting and interdicting opioids and other illicit drugs.

Throughout the discussion, presenters highlighted how criminal enterprises are using increasingly advanced methods to produce, smuggle, and traffic illicit substances. With respect to production, it was noted that criminal enterprises are leveraging scientific knowledge to develop or modify illicit substances. Specifically, the increase in illegal compounding of substances has resulted in the regular discovery of new chemical compounds, including fentanyl analogues. This creates challenges for intelligence to stay informed of the potential substances that may be encountered by law enforcement and border security officials.

Presenters also emphasized how OCGs and criminal entrepreneurs adapt to detection and interdiction efforts and develop alternative transportation and concealment methods. Consequently, drug enforcement efforts in both Canada and the United States must continuously evolve. For instance, Mexican-based OCGs were noted to present challenges for border security in the United States, with cartels diversifying their product lines and fractionalizing their organization to avoid disruption and dismantlement. These criminal enterprises exploit air, maritime and land-based transportation domains to smuggle and distribute illicit substances, including cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine.

Both domestically and internationally, the purchase and distribution of illicit substances has been facilitated by the dark web, which provides an ideal environment for purchasers and suppliers to operate with relative anonymity. Transcending international borders, the dark web provides a convenient marketplace for illicit substances to be distributed to foreign locations through postal and courier systems with limited detection. Increased intelligence and targeted investigations on dark web activities are required in order to both understand and disrupt the supply chain.

Similarly, the distribution of illicit substances through the postal system and express consignment carrier facilities (such as FedEx, UPS, and DHL) is a significant issue in both the United States and Canada. Exploited for their low cost, low risk of detection, and high level of anonymity, the postal and courier systems are increasingly used to distribute illicit substances around the world. These methods of distribution also support a recent trend in micro-trafficking, in which numerous small-scale shipments have replaced larger shipments in order to decrease detection and interception.

To reduce the flow of illicit substances into Canada, the importance of leveraging both domestic and international partnerships to bolster intelligence-sharing and support investigations was emphasized. Presenters also highlighted the need for federal partners and law enforcement to work with private industry. While several initiatives exist and significant achievements have been realized through conducting multi-agency investigations and leveraging existing partnerships, it was noted that operational collaboration could be enhanced.  

Highlights from Breakout Sessions

In addition to the plenary sessions, a series of four breakout sessions provided an opportunity for attendees to engage in focused discussions on gender and diversity; Indigenous perspectives; intelligence and information sharing; and enhancing collaboration between law enforcement and health care communities. The following section summarizes the key messages shared by presenters and participants during the breakout discussions.

Breakout #1: Gender and Diversity

Breakout #2: Indigenous Perspectives

Breakout #3: Leveraging existing data and addressing information gaps

Breakout #4: Enhancing Collaboration between Law Enforcement and Health Care Communities

Key Outcomes

Over the course of the day, a number of overarching themes and key messages emerged, including:

Conclusion

The wealth of information and perspectives provided during the roundtable reinforced the complexities associated with combatting opioids and illicit drugs. Discussions held over the course of the day demonstrated that, despite the efforts undertaken to combat opioids and illicit drugs, more action needs to be taken to reduce the harms associated with these substances. In addition to advancing the dialogue on the opioid crisis, the noted rise of methamphetamine underscored the need to monitor and respond to developing drug issues before they escalate. The value of sharing information and insights on best practices at the regional, national, and international level was emphasized as a means to multiply, rather than duplicate, enforcement efforts. Also highlighted was the need to increase law enforcement capacity within Indigenous communities and advance collaboration efforts between public and private stakeholders. These discussions will be advanced at future roundtable events.

The event concluded with remarks from Trevor Bhupsingh, who reiterated the Government of Canada's commitment to address the complex social, public health, and public safety issues posed by opioids and illicit drugs. He noted the importance of building and maintaining working relationships among participants in developing a path forward. To maintain the momentum generated by the roundtable discussions, he announced the development of a national law enforcement framework on drugs and stated that the next roundtable would be held in fall 2019.

Appendix A: Organizations Represented at the Roundtable

Alliance for Safe Online Pharmacies (ASOP)
Canada Border Services Agency
Canada Post
Canadian Armed Forces
Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction
Canadian Police Association
Calgary Police Service
Cape Breton Regional Police Service
Charlottetown Police Service
Community Addictions Peer Support Association
Dalhousie University
Department of Homeland Security, United States  
Drug Enforcement Agency, United States
Edmundston Police Force
Federal Bureau of Investigation, United States
First Nations Chiefs of Police Association
Halifax Board of Police Commissioners
Halifax Regional Police
Health Canada
LEAD National Support Bureau
New Glasgow Regional Police
Nova Scotia Association of Police Governance
Nova Scotia Department of Justice
Ontario Provincial Police
Public Health Agency – Nova Scotia
Public Prosecution Services of Canada
Public Safety Canada
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Saginaw-Chippewa Indian Tribe
Statistics Canada
Truro Police Service
Winnipeg Police Service
Vancouver Police Department

Date modified: