A large quantity of maple syrup has been seized by authorities from an export company in New Brunswick, Canada, according to CBC News . It’s believed the delicious substance currently in possession of police was part of a $30 million maple syrup heist just a few months ago.
Etienne Saint-Pierre, who owns S.K. Export, swears the maple syrup seized by authorities was obtained from one of his regular suppliers. Despite his claims that the stockpile of syrup is on the up and up, police are extremely interested in speaking with the individuals who supplied the goods. Until everything is worked out, police will sit on an estimated 400,000 pounds of maple syrup.
“Since yesterday, they start to load the stuff in the truck, and then the trailer load,” Saint-Pierre explained. “They load six loads last night, they’re going, and now I think they’re going to load two more loads. The drums and totes and everything from Quebec.”
According to The Star , Quebec police rounded up between 700 and 800 barrels of the stuff by the time everything was said and done. The search, which took place on September 26, reportedly caught the exporter completely by surprise.
“They said they were searching to find some stolen drums from Quebec,” Saint-Pierre said. “It was a surprise. That was the first news I received.”
The maple syrup seized by authorities is thought to be the same tasty goods stolen in August from a warehouse outside of Montreal. Despite public knowledge of the crime, The Federation of Quebec Maple Syrup Producers never revealed just how much of their syrup had been lifted from the storage facility.
Sarto Landry, Etienne Saint-Pierre’s lawyer, explained that authorities will have a difficult time proving that his client knowingly purchased this allegedly stolen syrup. “We can’t easily identify the syrup, it’s not like buying a car or buying a house,” Landry explained. “At the moment, there’s a presumption that the product that was bought… was in no way related to a deceitful transaction.”
Presently, the maple syrup seized by police will stay in the possession of authorities until its origins can be properly investigated.