OTTAWA, ONTARIO -- (Marketwire) -- 03/04/13 -- The Honourable Vic Toews, Minister of Public Safety, issued the following statement today commending the efforts of the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) following two separate cocaine seizures at Toronto Pearson International Airport totaling almost 9 kilograms.

"I applaud CBSA officers for their excellent work in intercepting these illegal drugs destined for our streets. This is yet another example of the fine work our border officers do on a daily basis to help keep our communities safe.

The fact that the seizures took place within a few days of each other demonstrates that our border officers are being vigilant and thorough in their examinations of people and goods crossing the border.

Our government has no tolerance for the production and trafficking of illicit drugs and removing them from our streets is essential to tackling the issue of violent crime.

Through the National Anti-Drug Strategy, the Government of Canada is allocating approximately $100 million over five years to combat the production and distribution of illegal drugs. From this funding, significant investments have been made to improve border security to curb the cross-border transportation of illegal drugs and proactively target illicit drug producers.

This initiative is in keeping with the Harper Government's Plan for Safe Streets and Communities, which focuses on tackling crime, victims' rights, and fair and efficient justice system.

We remain committed to working with law enforcement partners nationally and internationally to address the global drug problem."

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