A remarkable incident recently involved a Canadian truck driver and a cannabis shipment. The driver, en route to New Brunswick, inadvertently took a route through the United States. This misstep could be expensive for his employer, facing a potential loss of $1.4 million due to the seizure of the cargo by U.S. authorities.
Greentone, a Quebec-based company specializing in legal cannabis production, was responsible for this shipment. The incident occurred last summer when the company hired a carrier to transport cannabis products to the Maritime provinces. The driver, who had signed a bill of lading detailing the cargo’s nature and value, appeared to be well-aware of his load’s contents.
Despite clear signage and multiple opportunities to correct his route, the trucker followed his GPS directions, leading him to the Coburn Gore U.S. border crossing. Opting for the quicker route through Maine proved problematic, as cannabis remains illegal in that state. The U.S. signage warning about cannabis laws was insufficient to prevent this oversight.
Following the border crossing, U.S. authorities immediately seized and destroyed the shipment. Shortly thereafter, the carrier informed Greentone that the cargo was lost and unrecoverable. Moreover, it emerged that the carrier lacked the necessary insurance for cannabis transport, contrary to previous assurances.
Faced with these circumstances, Greentone initiated legal action, filing a civil lawsuit in the Superior Court of Quebec. The company seeks reimbursement for the lost cargo’s value, as well as additional damages, bringing the total claim to around $1.4 million. The case is expected to be presented to a judge soon, unless an out-of-court settlement is reached between the involved parties.
