Organized crime is active in Canadian ports, says an RCMP report. Police have sought new powers to conduct mandatory background checks on all port workers including federal Customs agents.

“Serious and organized crime remains one of the preeminent threats to Canada’s security,” said the report by the Mounties’ Criminal Intelligence Service. Of 638 gangs operating nationwide about “ten percent of organized crime groups are assessed to have access or links to the public sector to further their criminal activities or to have attempted to corrupt or infiltrate public sector agencies,” said the Public Report On Organized Crime 2023.

“Some sectors are more attractive to corruption attempts by organized crime groups,” wrote the RCMP. “Border services” and “employees at international ports who facilitate the importation and exportation of illicit goods” were targets, they said.