TORONTO —
A dual French-Canadian citizen faces a possible life sentence for his part in the alleged import of nearly AUD$17 million worth (C$15 million) of methamphetamine from Mexico to Australia.
The 26-year-old man was charged after more than 150 kilograms of the controlled drug was found hidden inside a 19-tonne shipment of silver concentrate in Melbourne, Victoria, in January this year.
The accused, named as “A. Forcade” in court documents, was arrested by members of the Victorian Joint Organised Crime Task Force (JOCTF) in a suburb of Melbourne on Saturday night.
According to the Australian Federal Police, Forcade was remanded in to custody and was due to appear in court on Feb. 25. He was charged with importing a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug, attempted possession of a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug and attempted trafficking of controlled drug.
The maximum penalty for these offences includes life imprisonment.
A 34-year-old Sydney man was also arrested Saturday in connection with the case and was due in court on Feb. 25. He was charged with attempting to possess a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug.
JOCTF worked with partners in the Indian Narcotics Control Bureau to identify a suspicious shipping container arriving into Melbourne from Mexico on Jan. 23.
“Together, the JOCTF has prevented 154 kilograms of illicit drugs from reaching the community and causing considerable harm, while also simultaneously dismantling and disrupting the work of an organized crime syndicate,” said AFP acting assistant commissioner Bruce Giles.
Victoria Police Crime Command Assistant Commissioner Tess Walsh said the arrests were a significant win for police and the Victorian public.
“It also highlights the fact that drugs and organized crime are not just Victorian issues – they cross borders and we make no apology for targeting those who seek to bring that harm here,” she said.
The JOCTF is comprised of investigators from the Australian Federal Police (AFP), Australian Border Force (ABF), Victoria Police and Australian Crime Intelligence Commission (ACIC), along with members from the Department of Home Affairs.
OTTAWA – French President Emmanuel Macron will visit Canada next week after a planned trip in July was cancelled amid political turmoil in France.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced in a statement today that Macron will be in Canada Wednesday and Thursday after the leaders attend the United Nations General Assembly in New York City.
Trudeau will welcome Macron in Ottawa on Wednesday, where they are expected to discuss collaboration on geopolitical issues including their ongoing support for Ukraine.
They are also expected to discuss ways to strengthen the response to emerging threats, such as disinformation.
In Montreal, Trudeau intends to show off the city’s artificial intelligence sector, while both countries reaffirm their commitment to work with counterparts on responsible use of AI.
The leaders will also discuss promoting the French language ahead of the Francophonie summit being held in France next month.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2024.
Health Canada has authorized Novavax’s updated COVID-19 vaccine that protects against currently circulating variants of the virus.
The protein-based vaccine, called Nuvaxovid, has been reformulated to target the JN.1 subvariant of Omicron.
It will replace the previous version of the vaccine, which targeted the XBB.1.5 subvariant of Omicron.
Health Canada recently asked provinces and territories to get rid of their older COVID-19 vaccines to ensure the most current vaccine will be used during this fall’s respiratory virus season.
Earlier this week, Health Canada approved Moderna’s updated mRNA COVID vaccine.
It is still reviewing Pfizer’s updated mRNA vaccine, with a decision expected soon.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2024.
Canadian Press health coverage receives support through a partnership with the Canadian Medical Association. CP is solely responsible for this content.
Note to readers: This is a corrected story. A previous version erroneously described the Novavax vaccine as an mRNA shot.
HALIFAX – The federal Fisheries Department says an endangered North Atlantic right whale has become entangled in gear in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
The department says the whale was sighted Wednesday by a Transport Canada aerial surveillance team northeast of the Gaspé Peninsula, off Anticosti Island.
Officials say it’s not known what type of gear has entangled the whale or where the gear came from.
Based on observation, experts at the New England Aquarium have confirmed the whale is a female known as Chiminea.
The department says it is continuing to monitor the area and if the whale is located and conditions allow, efforts will be made to disentangle the animal.
Last October, the North Atlantic Right Whale Consortium estimated there were 356 North Atlantic right whales left on the planet.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2024.
