Law Enforcement
The U.S. and Canadian governments are committed to strengthening the level of cross border cooperation against the growing threat of international organized crime. In Vancouver, the U.S. Consulate General has devoted considerable time, energy and resources to this problem. We created a multi-agency law enforcement team at the consulate in Vancouver designed to increase our liaison work with our Canadian law enforcement counterparts. The creation of this Law Enforcement Hub has strengthened our ability to work with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Vancouver Police Department, Canada Border Services Agency, Citizenship and Immigration Canada and the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit of British Columbia on cross border law enforcement. For the Canadian agencies, the Hub offers a one-stop-investment-shop to work international crime cases of mutual interest. Currently, the U.S. Secret Service; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Federal Bureau of Investigation; Immigration and Customs Enforcement; Drug Enforcement Administration; and Diplomatic Security Service-Regional Security Office of the U.S. Department of State, all have offices in Vancouver.
Through the Integrated Border Enforcement Team (IBET) and the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit of BC (CFSEU-BC) -- two successful multi-agency organizations that utilize the concept of information sharing as their number one resource -- we are working in tandem with our Canadian counterparts to improve the sharing of intelligence and to work cases in common. Our team members, comprised of agents from the Secret Service, ATF, FBI, ICE, DEA and State DS, meet and share intelligence on Asian organized crime groups, counterfeit U.S. currency and credit cards, passport and visa fraud, drug trafficking, illegal immigration, firearms trafficking, border issues, and terrorism. The close working relationship that has developed between the members, their Canadian counterparts, and other USG law enforcement agencies, has grown and networked into an open line of communication that stretches throughout Western Canada and extends the entire length of the I-5 corridor.