B.C. and Washington law enforcement reaffirm cross-border partnership on organized crime

Law enforcement agencies from B.C. and Washington state gathered in Victoria on Tuesday to reinforce their cross-border partnership on transnational organized crime, with both sides emphasizing that local collaboration remains strong despite federal trade tensions between Canada and the U.S.

About 100 participants from both jurisdictions exchanged intelligence on cartel operations, Mexican drug-smuggling networks, and emerging trends in illicit drug movement. B.C. Public Safety Minister Nina Krieger said the partnership focuses on crimes that "do not respect borders" and require coordinated enforcement and intelligence sharing.

"It's certainly an important opportunity for law enforcement partners to engage in information sharing but also the exchange of ideas and strategies," Krieger said. "Criminals do not respect borders and our efforts to enforce to prevent crime to strengthen partnerships across agencies also has to be transnational."

RCMP Assistant Commissioner John Brewer credited cross-border intelligence sharing with enabling police to take action against cartels. "We have been able to share critical information and work on files together which has gone a long way into us having a better understanding of how the cartels are trying to work in this area on either side of the border, but also allowing us to intercede in some of their attempts to get into our communities and embed themselves," he said.

The two sides cited Operation Hardball, a joint RCMP-FBI investigation into the Lawrence Bishnoi gang and two other transnational criminal organizations involved in murder-for-hire, extortion, and drug trafficking. Thirty-seven people were charged on California indictments, including four B.C. men. Brewer noted that more charges have been laid in the U.S. than in Canada so far, reflecting ongoing investigations in B.C. that officials expect will yield prosecutions.

On drugs, methamphetamine and fentanyl remain primary concerns, but Brewer flagged a recent shift. "We're finding (cocaine) increasing at the local level," he said, adding that police are working closely with Washington counterparts to prevent cocaine from embedding with transnational organizations the way other drugs have.

Washington State Patrol Chief John Batiste said the forum "continues doing exactly what we set out to do 20 years ago which is to enhance communications and collaboration amongst law enforcement in order to help us better serve the communities we're in place to serve and protect."