CBP patrols reveal two-way flow of drugs and guns on the Detroit water border

A CBP marine unit operating on the Detroit River reports that contraband moves in both directions between the United States and Canada, challenging President Trump's claims of a one-way threat.

During one outlet ride-along, marine interdiction agent Tim Thayer guided a patrol of the Detroit River, the water corridor that forms the Canada-U.S. border across Michigan, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois. He explained that CBP vessels encounter a mix of recreational traffic and illicit shipments, with intelligence and cross-border partnerships essential to identify threats. In 2025 the Detroit sector seized over 4,200 kilograms of illegal drugs, yet CBP watch commander Lavarah Miller emphasized that most of the contraband is moving northward.

Ontario Provincial Police data from 2024 show that 87 % of firearms recovered in the province trace back to the United States, mirroring similar findings in Toronto. Criminology professor Kelly Sundberg highlighted that fentanyl imports from Canada are negligible compared with those from Mexico, but warned that border staffing and training remain inadequate. Despite political rhetoric, CBP agents say cooperation with Canadian counterparts, including the RCMP, has stayed steady, even as the new Gordie Howe International Bridge looms as a symbol of both collaboration and tension.