One of Canada’s most wanted fugitives has been returned home after a three-year international manhunt that spanned 14 countries.
The Vancouver Police Department (VPD) said it had arrested and charged Cody Casey with drug crimes, including trafficking fentanyl, in 2020. However, while he was out on bail, he fled the country.
Casey was caught in Oman in October 2024 by Royal Oman Police and was returned to Canada on April 24. He appeared in a B.C. provincial court and remains in custody, according to VPD.
“Cody Casey was arrested in the summer of 2020. He was released on bail by the courts with a number of conditions, including house arrest and having to wear an electronic monitoring bracelet,” Const. Jason Doucette said in an October 2022 VPD news release.
Cody Casey. Vancouver Police Department Handout Photo
“Unfortunately, he cut his ankle bracelet off on April 10 and hasn’t been seen since,” Doucette added.
While police searched for him, Casey was named Canada’s third most wanted person by the Bolo Program. The program is a Canadian initiative by the Stéphan Crétier Foundation that uses social media to alert the public to “be on the lookout,” which is where Bolo gets its name.
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During the search, a $100,000 reward was offered for information that led to Casey’s arrest.
The extradition process took six months and involved several agencies including the RCMP, Public Prosecution Service of Canada, and Government of Canada, according to Vancouver police.
“This was a complex, multi-jurisdictional investigation that required extraordinary collaboration and perseverance,” said Insp. Phil Heard, commanding officer of VPD’s Organized Crime Section.
Police said that Casey was initially charged with 17 crimes, which included the production and trafficking of fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine, as well as numerous firearms-related charges, following an investigation by the VPD.
In July 2020, Vancouver police executed a search warrant on a building near Seymour and Davie streets. VPD said they discovered the site was being used as a mixing location to combine fentanyl and carfentanil with other drugs, including cocaine, methamphetamine, and heroin. The drugs were then allegedly sold on the streets, VPD said.
At the time of Casey’s arrest, VPD said its investigation resulted in the seizure of a “substantial” amount of drugs. It was estimated more than 10 kilograms of fentanyl was seized, with a street value over $1.5 million. The drugs had been dyed purple, green, and blue to differentiate between the mixtures, VPD said.
“This will have a major impact on crime groups and the flow of poisoned drugs into the city,” VPD Sergeant Aaron Roed said in the summer of 2020.
After Casey was returned to Canada, the RCMP’s director general of international special services said they had a “duty to bring fugitives to justice.”
“There can be no safe haven for those trying to evade the law,” Liam Price said.
VDP Insp. Heard said the department was grateful to law enforcement partners in Canada and overseas, including the RCMP and Royal Oman Police.
