Syrup shipment gets police convoy
16-trailer trek stems from theft probe
MONTREAL In many places, gold shipments will get their own police escort. In others, nuclear materials might get that same security treatment.
But in Canada, the protected material can be maple syrup. A convoy of 16 trailer-loads of the sweet stuff on Wednesday undertook an inter provincial journey — accompanied by a squad of provincial police cars.
The shipment stems from an investigation into a stolen haul from a Quebec warehouse and the sticky substance is on its way back home from neighbouring New Brunswick.
Yvon Poitras, the general manager of the New Brunswick Maple Syrup Association, says the goods came from a New Brunswick exporter.
“(The convoy’s) under police protection going somewhere in Quebec,” he said. “We’ve been asked not to talk because it’s under investigation.”
Police confirm that an investigation is underway, but will only say that a search was carried out on Sept. 26 at a company alongside a highway in Kedgwick, N.B.
In August, the Quebec Federation of Maple Syrup Producers reported the theft of a massive quantity from the warehouse in St-Louis-de-Blandford. The missing stock was discovered during a routine inventory check.
The burglarized warehouse held more than 4.5 million kilograms of maple syrup, valued at over $30 million. The exact amount of the theft was not disclosed.
The syrup was in temporary storage at the Quebec warehouse and was slated to be moved to a new facility.
Etienne St-Pierre, owner of S.K. Export Inc. in New Brunswick, said police arrived at his business last week. “They seized all my documents that were in the computer.”
St-Pierre said investigators were looking for someone who sold him 10 truckloads of syrup. Police also seized 400,000 pounds — about 181,400 kilos, or 800 barrels, during their visit.
Quebec produces between 70 and 80 per cent of the world’s maple syrup.