Canada and the United States have agreed to share more information about the smuggling of guns and drugs across their shared border.

 

Canada's Public Safety Minister, Marco Mendicino, says Ottawa has signed four new or updated agreements with Washington that allow the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and Canada Border Services Agency to exchange more data with partners south of the border.

 

Mr Mendicino told reporters on Friday in Ottawa that the agreements mean more joint investigations of gun smuggling and trafficking. 

 

He said there will also be even more exchanging of intelligence and information between law enforcement agencies.

 

The agreements under a rebooted Canada-U.S. Cross-Border Crime Forum will allow more information-sharing with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, such as on the role of cryptocurrency in money laundering.

 

The agreements also aim to help stem the flow of opioids such as fentanyl.