Man busted with 15.5 kg of crystal meth at Calgary airport
Posted Mar 19, 2026 9:50 am.
Last Updated Mar 19, 2026 4:10 pm.
Crystal meth found during an x-ray screening of luggage at the Calgary International Airport this week has resulted in charges for one man.
Calgary police say it happened just after 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, when the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) called for help after opening a checked bag that had been flagged during a routine security check at YYC.
Inside the bag, screening officers found three large packages with an unknown substance in them.
When CPS arrived, they determined the contents of the package were likely crystal meth.
In total, the weight of the drugs was more than 15 kilograms. The estimated street value is around $780,000, according to investigations.
Together with airport staff, police found out where the luggage was headed and who it belonged to.
Thirty-eight-year-old Lloyd Tei Mataafa was arrested without incident after boarding a plane headed for Vancouver.
Police say he planned to travel to New Zealand via connecting flights.
Mataafa has been charged with one count of possession of methamphetamine for the purpose of trafficking and one count of possession for the purpose of exporting other drugs.
He is set to make an appearance in court on Friday.
Anyone with information about this event is asked to contact police at 403-266-1234 or tip anonymously through CrimeStoppers.
