A couple from Washington State failed to make it across the Canadian border with $3.5 million of cocaine, despite it being uniquely hidden in their Dodge mini van.
When Scott Powers, 49, and Diane Powers, 55, arrived at the Grand Forks, B.C. border crossing Dec. 16, officers with Canada Border Services Agency suspected the couple's story about their journey was untrue, so they called in investigators.
A vehicle search by RCMP and the Southeast Federal Drug Section revealed small amounts of marijuauna and a mother lode of 83 packages of cocaine weighing one kilogram each stashed in two sophisticated, electronically-operated compartments originally used as Stow 'n Go seats.
Police say the one-kilogram packages are consistent with drug trafficking, and the total value of the drugs is about $3,500,000 Canadian.
"That's about 83,000 doses of cocaine that will never contribute to the physical and emotional toll of addiction, and will take profit out of the hands of drug dealers," said Const. Michael McLaughlin, Federal Operations media relations officer.
The two were arrested, appeared in court Dec. 17, and are detained until their trial. They each face one count of importation of a controlled substance and possession for the purpose of trafficking.
RCMP Cpl. Craig Douglass, Prince George media relations officer, said although there's no way to know for sure, it's quite possible the intent was to split up and distribute the cocaine among communities like Prince George, Fort St. John, Fort McMurray and others.
"I think it would have had a significant impact on the drug industry in the province."
