{"id":17970,"date":"2025-02-23T19:53:55","date_gmt":"2025-02-23T19:53:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/torontotribune.ca\/index.php\/2025\/02\/23\/cartel-activity-in-canada-very-prevalent-now-former-trudeau-advisor-says-national\/"},"modified":"2025-02-23T19:53:55","modified_gmt":"2025-02-23T19:53:55","slug":"cartel-activity-in-canada-very-prevalent-now-former-trudeau-advisor-says-national","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/torontotribune.ca\/index.php\/2025\/02\/23\/cartel-activity-in-canada-very-prevalent-now-former-trudeau-advisor-says-national\/","title":{"rendered":"Cartel activity in Canada \u2018very prevalent now,\u2019 former Trudeau advisor says – National"},"content":{"rendered":"


\n<\/p>\n

\n

Organized crime cartel activity is \u201cvery prevalent now\u201d compared to at least a decade ago, says a former national security<\/a> advisor to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and listing those groups as terrorist organizations may help prevent a \u201cnational crisis.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Jody Thomas says the government\u2019s move to list seven transnational criminal organizations<\/a>, including multiple drug cartels<\/a>, as terrorist entities under the Criminal Code will give law enforcement more tools to go after cartel-affiliated criminal groups in Canada \u2014 particularly their finances \u2014 that will be \u201cenormously helpful.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOrganized crime, no matter what shape it takes, is a threat to us, and we\u2019re seeing an increase in it,\u201d she told Mercedes Stephenson in an interview that aired Sunday on The West Block<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\u201cI would say that 10, 15, 20 years ago, we would not have used the word cartel with regard to activity in Canada, but it\u2019s very prevalent now. It\u2019s becoming a problem and we have an opportunity here to get a grip on it before it becomes a national crisis.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

Story continues below advertisement<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

A recent\u00a0Criminal\u00a0Intelligence\u00a0Service\u00a0Canada report said organized crime groups involved in manufacturing fentanyl operate mostly in British Columbia and Ontario. Beyond those provinces, crime groups engage in distribution and trafficking, and increasingly rely on street gangs and outlaw motorcycle gangs, the report said.<\/p>\n

While cocaine remains the most common drug market for organized crime groups in Canada, the report found involvement in fentanyl has increased by 42 per cent since 2019. Many crime groups are actively engaged with Latin American drug cartels to facilitate drug shipments and have linked with American groups in the trafficking of firearms into Canada, according to the report.<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Click
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

Thomas noted that Canada has seen increases not just in fentanyl production, seizures and overdoses in recent years, but also in gun violence and gang-affiliated violence.<\/p>\n

\n
\n\t\t\t\t\t\"Get\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n
\n

Get daily National news<\/h3>\n

Get the day’s top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

She said the terrorist listings will allow RCMP and other agencies like Fintrac to track down Canadian financial contributors and suppliers to those transnational cartels and crime groups, crippling their networks.<\/p>\n

\n

Story continues below advertisement<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

The cartel terrorist listings were among several border security measures Canada agreed to in talks with U.S. President Donald Trump, who threatened sweeping tariffs on Canadian goods unless Ottawa did more to tackle migrant crossings and fentanyl trafficking into the U.S.<\/p>\n

Trudeau and other Canadian officials say progress has already been made on those issues, which the prime minister relayed to Trump in a call on Saturday.<\/a><\/p>\n

Thomas said the change in tone from the U.S. under the Trump administration, which has made several demands from Canada and other allies to boost security and defence spending while pursuing \u201creciprocal\u201d trade policies, makes it critical for Canada to prioritize its own security.<\/p>\n