Despite a drop in cross-border traffic for most of the past year, 2021 was still an eventful one for Canada Border Service Agency officers.
The agency is looking back on the year by recounting some highlights between January 1 and October 31.
A report on operations at the border collected data before Canadians could cross into the U.S. for leisure. The border reopened on November 8, although Canada welcomed back American travellers earlier, on August 9.
Across Southern Ontario, it processed over 2.6-million trucks, including 1.1-million at the Ambassador Bridge. The bridge accounted for 26 per cent of cross-border commercial vehicle volumes.
Border officials also seized a lot of illegal tobacco at the Ambassador Bridge, 45 per cent of the region's total haul. CBSA Southern Region took possession of more than 244,000 kgs of tobacco worth $44.3-million. It calculates the revenue evaded for that amount is worth $65.4-million.
When it came to narcotics, officials at the border crossings in Windsor, Sarnia, London, Fort Erie, and Niagara Falls seized a total of 674.29 kgs.
That includes the 488 Ecstasy pills they seized at the Windsor-Detroit Tunnel on June 15 and the 18 bricks of cocaine at the Ambassador Bridge.
Officers seized 166 firearms.
"As much as we want to see extremely large seizures, every seizure of narcotics or firearms is important," said Regional Chief of Operations Jeff Gilmore.
The number of people who made asylum claims was 2,062 asylum at Southern Ontario border points.
