International fugitive returned to B.C. after being arrested in Middle East

An international fugitive and one of Canada’s most wanted is back behind bars following a Vancouver Police Department investigation that lasted three years, spanned 14 countries and ended in the Middle East.

Cody Casey has been back in Canada since April 24 following his arrest by police in Oman on Oct. 5, 2024, and an extradition process that lasted six months.

Vancouver Police allege Casey disappeared on April 10, 2022, after removing his ankle bracelet while on bail just weeks before his scheduled trial. He was facing 17 criminal charges, including the production and trafficking of fentanyl and numerous firearms-related offences.

The national BOLO program, which helps spread the word about fugitives on the lam, named Casey Canada’s third-most-wanted person in May 2023 and announced a $100,000 reward for information leading to his arrest.

Phil Heard, commanding officer of Vancouver Police’s Organized Crime Section, says Casey’s arrest was the conclusion of a “complex” investigation across multiple jurisdictions requiring “extraordinary collaboration and perseverance.”

The federal government, the Public Prosecution Service of Canada, Vancouver Police and RCMP co-ordinated the extradition of Casey, who has since appeared in B.C. Provincial Court and remains in custody.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 2, 2025.

Wolfgang Depner, The Canadian Press