Canadian border police seized more than 60 kilograms of a substance believed to be cocaine at the Emerson border crossing in the town of Emerson in Manitoba, Canada’s Midwest, hidden in a commercial truck loaded with corn.

According to the Canada Border Services Agency, officers from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, accompanied by a team of drug detection dogs, discovered blocks of cocaine hidden in a modified compartment of the truck's trailer on July 14.

Russell Lavoie, director of the Canada Border Services Agency, stated at a press conference held on Thursday morning at the Canadian police headquarters in the provincial capital Winnipeg, that the truck arrived at the Emerson border crossing in the early morning hours.

The total quantity of drugs seized is approximately 63 kilograms, valued at around 6 million dollars. Canadian authorities indicated that by seizing these amounts, they prevented about 60,000 drug transactions.

Lavoie noted that this is the largest drug seizure at the border between Manitoba and the United States in the past five years.

He also clarified that it is very common for officers to intercept individuals attempting to smuggle drugs across the border.

Inspector Joe Tilleus of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police stated that the truck driver was arrested, a 31-year-old man from Winnipeg, Manitoba. He has been charged with importing and possessing controlled substances for the purpose of trafficking.

The accused appeared in federal court in Winnipeg on July 19 and was subsequently released under conditions.

Tilleus also mentioned that Health Canada will verify whether the seized materials are indeed the highly addictive stimulant cocaine, as suggested by initial tests.

The director of the Border Services Agency did not wish to specify where the truck driver came from or where he was headed, nor if he has links to organized crime groups.

In related news, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police also announced today that they seized just over one kilogram of cocaine in a home in western Manitoba on the 21st of this month.

The Canadian police stated in a press release that, in addition to the cocaine, two vehicles and drug consumption paraphernalia were seized.

As a result of these seizures, three men (aged 43, 41, and 25) have been charged with drug possession for the purpose of trafficking.