Border services officers find black tar opium inside coffee carafes at Calgary airport

CALGARY – Police say black tar opium hidden inside coffee carafes was found by border services officers at the Calgary airport earlier this month.

During a baggage search, agents became suspicious of a box and an X-ray revealed suspicious masses within the carafes.

In total, seven of the containers contained about five kilograms of the drug.

RCMP Const. Scott Burge says the opium, which gets its name because it resembles pieces of black tar, is fairly rare in Canada.

He says a great deal of effort had been made to hide the drugs, which were welded inside the carafes before the packages were resealed.

Bijan Mohammedi (bee-ZHAWN’ MO’-hah-MED’-ee), who is 41, and his 32-year-old wife Zahra Beigi (ZAW’-ruh BAY’-uh-JHEE’) were returning to Calgary from Iran and have been charged under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act.