Summary: Canadian police dismantled the largest drug “super lab” in the country, seizing a record amount of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and firearms. The operation was linked to organized crime and had been mass-producing and distributing drugs across Canada and internationally.
Economies of scale. Once the cartels figured out it’s just a numbers game, a lot of the “smuggling” turned into " just send 10 full containers of the stuff, if 9 get seized we still win". Production is cheap.
And they’re not catching even a tenth, much less 90%.
Yup… this is something where heavy automation could play a role. Scan 100 pct of containers and have software look for contraband. Then signal people to take action.
That wouldn’t help. The software would have to know what to look for, and the scanner would need to see something.
One method used for instance is infusing drugs into other materials, like tents. Then just shipping said tents. Scan the packets, you just see tents. Drogs (drug dogs brainfart but im leaving it lol) won’t smell it, and quicktests won’t reveal it, because of the altered composition.
There is literally no way of shutting down the drug trade.
“Signal people to take action”
You seem to underestimate how many people use illegal drugs, I think, and you still believe that it’s just about proper policing and we can “get rid of drugs”. Never gonna happen. Pretty much all drug laws need to be completely rehauled for progress.
Oh I fully realize that the war on drugs needs to be a healthcare “war” and not a law enforcement war.
People to take action referred to customs agents.
In the mean time I am for cannabis legalisation, and xtc too probably. Opioids and other drugs should get much better treatment options. By giving people options that are not very harmfull and allow them to scratch their itch, they are less likely to opt for very harmfull substances and less likely to opt for stuff that is illegal. And should they become addicted to harmfull stuff we should help them get off it, or provide it safely (like the Dutch heroin program).