Recognized as a sieve, the Port of Montreal has its hands tied despite defense arms.

The port of Montreal is a favorite among smugglers: Border services seized 1,050 stolen vehicles last year, compared to 57 of all other ports in the country. Not to mention the thousands of other cars that have managed to leave its grounds without issue.

Clinging to a reputation as a sieve, the Port Authority has very little authority over its facilities, maintains Daniel Dagenais, the port’s vice president in charge of security, during an interview.

Our Bureau of Investigation still reserves the right to provide an arsenal of security measures to control arrivals and departures at the Port of Montreal.

600 cameras for better surveillance

At the port control center — located in a former Expo 67 building at the foot of the Victoria Bridge — two employees keep a close eye on an array of screens.

PHOTO AGENCY QMI, JOEL LEMAY

In addition to measurements from other passive surveillance instruments, images from 600 surveillance cameras scattered along the 26 kilometers of shores that stretch the harbor are alternately displayed.

These video tapes contain valuable clues during police investigations.

“We can certify with certainty who brought the container, we saw it. We know who to talk to to start moving the chain,” says Daniel Dagenais, who has worked at the port for 35 years.

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Boss, please

Every day, 2,000 heavy goods vehicles pass through this gateway. This is where each driver must provide their port pass, and some require a Transport Canada security clearance.

PHOTO AGENCY QMI, JOEL LEMAY

To get the authorization, you will need to provide not only your passport, original birth certificate, but also your spouse’s birth certificate and fingerprints.

Remember that containers are sealed upon arrival at the port, and only the Border Services Agency has the right to open them unless they obtain a warrant from a judge.

A car in a pile of containers

At the Port of Montreal, hundreds of containers are piled up on docks as far as the eye can see. Good luck finding the location of the allegedly stolen car, even with a tracking device.

“From people on the edge of the fence, watching thousands of containers, “There’s my pick-up!”

“But often, people have an accurate geolocation for them, but it’s not accurate for us,” said Mr. Dagenais explains patiently.

PHOTO AGENCY QMI, JOEL LEMAY

This is because even if the location is relatively accurate, the vehicle can easily be found in or next to the container at the bottom of the pile, as in the fourth location.

Complex and delicate

Suspicious container quarantine at the Port of Montreal, as seen here at the terminal, is a real headache due to space constraints and the movement of cargo.

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PHOTO AGENCY QMI, JOEL LEMAY

You must first target the right container, manage floor space to create room, extract it from the pile using a crane, and then transport it to a private partner.

“There is no need to manage this at the port site because it is very difficult from a logistical point of view and involves costs that everyone pays,” underlines Daniel Dagenais, head of security.

Ultimately, the Customs and Immigration Union estimates that about 1% of the 800,000 containers that leave the Port of Montreal each year are inspected.

Train tracks

Criminals active in Ontario increasingly prefer rail to transport stolen cars to the Port of Montreal.

PHOTO AGENCY QMI, JOEL LEMAY

You should know that the port has 100 km of rail lines connected to the CP and CN networks, which makes it possible to load a container in Toronto and send it directly to Montreal.

While this option costs thieves more than paying for road transport, it has the advantage of reducing the risk of being intercepted en route.

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