A man has been charged with drug trafficking and exporting offences after 15.5 kilograms of drugs were discovered in luggage at the Calgary International Airport.
At about 9:35 a.m. on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) requested assistance after opening a checked bag that had been flagged during routine X‑ray screening. Inside the bag, screening officers found three large packages containing an unknown substance.
When Calgary police officers arrived, they observed three individually wrapped bags containing a crystal‑like substance believed to be crystal meth. The contents of the luggage weighed a total of 15.5 kilograms, with an estimated street value of $780,000.
Working with airport staff, officers identified the luggage’s destination and confirmed the gate to locate the suspect. A man was arrested without incident after boarding a Vancouver‑bound aircraft.
Investigators believe the suspect planned to travel to New Zealand using connecting flights.
Lloyd Tei MATAAFA, 38, has been charged with one count of possession of methamphetamine for the purpose of trafficking and one count of possession for the purpose of exporting other drugs.
He is scheduled to appear in court on March 20, 2026.
