Contact the Border Watch Line
Report suspicious cross border activities using our secure online form or our toll-free phone line. See below to find out what types of illegal border activities we are working to stop.
Online reporting Report now
Report suspect border activity online using our secure web form 24/7.
Report by phone from Canada and the USA
Call toll-free: 1-888-502-9060
Hours of operations: Monday to Friday, 9 am to 9 pm, ET
Outside of these hours please use the online reporting form.
Privacy notice
Information provided is confidential. Calls to the Border Watch Line are not recorded. You are not required to provide your name and/or telephone number, but you may provide it if you choose to do so.
The Border Watch Line must comply with Canadian privacy legislation. We cannot provide facts or updates resulting from any information provided to the Border Watch Line.
Information we are looking for
The Border Watch Line lets you report suspicious cross border activities that occur:
- before persons and/or goods reach Canada
- at the border itself, or
- after persons and/or goods have entered Canada
We carefully review all information and refer to the appropriate authorities when necessary. The authorities will determine what is necessary to complete the investigation.
These are examples of some suspicious activities we are interested in:
Customs related violations
- Drug smuggling
- Contraband tobacco
- Child pornography and exploitation
- Commercial trade fraud
- Firearms and weapons smuggling
- Currency smuggling
- Infractions related to food, plant and animals products
Visit Restricted and prohibited goods for more information.
Immigration related violations
- Persons who may pose a security risk
- Persons involved in war crimes
- Persons who have overstayed their status in Canada or who are working or studying in Canada without authorization
- Person wanted on an immigration warrant
- Persons involved in organized crime or serious criminality
- Persons involved in human smuggling or trafficking
- Persons who have entered Canada based on misrepresentation, and/or made a false declaration or document fraud
For more information, visit:
- Immigration and citizenship enforcement and violations
- Human trafficking at the border
- Wanted by the CBSA
- Arrests, detentions and removals
Information to provide
Provide as much information as possible in your report. If you are reporting online, attach any supporting documentation that might apply (up to 10 attachments per submission and 10 attachments per subsequent update).
- Who is/was involved
- Name of individual or business
- Date of birth or approximate age
- Physical description of individual
- Details for the company
- What is/was the suspicious activity
- Customs related violations
- Immigration related violations
- When will it/did it happen
- Date
- Time
- Where will it/did it take place
- Address
- Approximate location
- Phone numbers
- How will/did it happen
- Car
- Boat
- Airplane
- Train
Include a description of the vehicle and license plate, boat name, aircraft tail numbers or any other relevant details, if available.
Online form privacy notice
The information you provide on this form is collected under the authority of paragraph 5(1)(a) of the Canada Border Services Agency Act. It is also collected pursuant to the Customs Act, the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA), the Customs Tariff, the Excise Act, the Excise Tax Act, the Export & Import Permits Act, the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA) and the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) & Terrorist Financing Act for the purposes of obtaining information on persons who are suspected of border related illegal activities, including contraband smuggling and immigration violations. The information may be disclosed internally to the CBSA Operations for the purposes of enforcement, security or evaluation. The information may be disclosed externally to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for the purposes of administering and enforcing the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA), as authorized by existing Memorandums of Understanding (MOU) between the CBSA and IRCC. It may also be shared internally or with international, federal, provincial or local law enforcement agencies for law enforcement and investigation purposes as authorized by subsection 8(2) of the Privacy Act.
Call 9-1-1 to report immediate national security threats.
For non-urgent threats, contact the Royal Canadian Mounted Police's National Security Tip Line to report suspicious activities, which could pose a threat to national security.
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