Recreational marijuana use became legal in Canada last month, and it’s caused brisk business at the border.
There were 108 marijuana seizures at U.S.-Canada border crossings in New York, between Buffalo and Champlain, in October.
To put that into perspective, there were 44 marijuana seizures at those same crossing points in October 2017.
Chief Customs and Border Protection Officer Aaron Bowker said there's been no change in strategy at the border in the last month, but they were prepared.
"Our primary mission is terrorism and interdicting terrorists, but second to that has always been narcotics," Bowker said.
On October 25, CPB seized nine pounds of marijuana and 1.25 pounds of edibles.
On October 31, they seized 17 pounds of marijuana.
Both were packages sent in the mail.
“Obviously, we search packages,” Bwoker said. “We have K-9 dogs that run packages, so we're finding a lot more in the express consignment environment and commercial environment.”
Other times, they'll come across people with 25 or 30 grams attempting to cross the border.
Those seizures usually result in fines of at least $500, he said.
Bowker also reminds people with medicinal marijuana not to take it across the border.
"If you travel across the border with medicinal marijuana that's been legally prescribed, it's still seizable, because under federal law, it's not legal, it's illegal,” he said.
The same holds true even if New York State fully legalizes marijuana.
It would have to be legalized nationwide before you could take it across the border.