The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) has confirmed the active presence of at least seven drug cartels from Mexico, El Salvador, and Venezuela within Canadian territory, primarily using it as a transit point for international drug trafficking. This revelation, made public in an exclusive interview with CTV, highlights how these criminal organizations are involved in crimes that directly affect Canada, including the production and export of methamphetamines and fentanyl.
Mathieu Bertrand, Chief Superintendent of the RCMP and General Director of Organized Crime and Border Integrity, explained in the interview that these cartels “are using Canada as a transit point” to send drugs to high-value markets like New Zealand and Australia. According to Bertrand, these organizations exploit Canadian ports to export methamphetamines, exacerbating the opioid crisis both in Canada and abroad.
A 2023 RCMP intelligence report, obtained by the Investigative Journalism Foundation (IJF), confirms that international cartels, including those from Mexico, are increasing their use of Canadian ports for drug transit.
The seven organizations identified by the RCMP are: Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13, from El Salvador), the Gulf Cartel, the Sinaloa Cartel, La Familia Michoacana, Cárteles Unidos, the Tren de Aragua (from Venezuela), and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).
These entities, with roots in Latin and Central America, operate transnational networks involving drug trafficking, money laundering, and associated violence. The Tren de Aragua, for instance, is known for activities like kidnappings, extortion, and human trafficking, while the CJNG and the Sinaloa Cartel are global leaders in the production and trafficking of fentanyl.
In February 2025, the Canadian government added these seven organizations to its list of terrorist entities, following a similar measure implemented by the United States. The then Minister of Public Safety, David McGuinty, justified the decision by arguing that “international criminal organizations, including cartels, play a key role in the production and distribution of fentanyl in Canada,” emphasizing that law enforcement needs “all available tools” to combat them.
This designation allows Canadian authorities to freeze assets, trace funding, and enhance international cooperation, including with U.S. agencies like the DEA.
The move comes amid diplomatic pressures, as Canada has been criticized for not sharing enough intelligence with the U.S. regarding fentanyl networks, leading to trade tensions and tariff threats.
Economic Impact and Transit Routes
The cartels use Canada not only for transit but also for local production. In the past two years, the RCMP has dismantled 11 methamphetamine laboratories in the country, including a “superlab” in British Columbia considered the largest and most sophisticated in Canadian history, where 54 kg of fentanyl and 390 kg of methamphetamines were seized. Additionally, in March 2025, a joint Canada-U.S. task force against fentanyl was launched, enabling the dismantling of additional laboratories in regions such as Vancouver Island and Eastern Canada.
The economic attraction is clear: a kilogram of methamphetamines sells for around $500-10,000 in the U.S., but in New Zealand and Australia, it can reach up to $300,000 or more, due to shortages and high prices in those markets. U.N. data indicates that wholesale prices for methamphetamines in Oceania vastly exceed those in North America, incentivizing exports from Canada.
A recent example: in June 2025, New Zealand customs intercepted 25 kg of methamphetamines valued at $7.5 million, likely originating from North American routes.
The presence of these cartels in Canada is not isolated. U.S. DEA reports highlight that Mexican cartels like Sinaloa and CJNG have cells in Canada, collaborating with local gangs to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamines. By 2025, fentanyl produced in Canada has become an international problem, with exports to Australia and New Zealand.
The designation as terrorists by the U.S. and Canada allows for stricter financial sanctions, similar to those enforced by the U.S. OFAC.
On social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter), the news has sparked debate, with users criticizing the government’s prior inaction and emphasizing the need for greater cooperation with the U.S. Recent posts highlight that indigenous reserves and ports are being exploited by cartels, and that the RCMP has been slow to respond.
Despite the progress, experts point out “missed opportunities” in cooperation between the RCMP and DEA, allowing figures like drug lord Ryan Wedding to consolidate power in Canada.
Money laundering, estimated in the hundreds of billions, involves Canadian banks such as TD Bank, which was fined $400 billion in 2025 for failures in anti-money laundering controls.
The 2025 DEA National Drug Threat Assessment report underscores that fentanyl and methamphetamines are the leading drivers of fatal overdoses, with Mexican cartels at the forefront.
This situation emphasizes the urgency for a coordinated response. Canada has intensified its efforts, but the infiltration of cartels into critical infrastructure like ports and transport remains a risk to national and regional security.