Canadian Police Close in On Thieves Who Stole $30 Million in Maple Syrup

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The plot has thickened in Canada’s epic maple syrup whodunit.

And no, it’s not the plot of some young adult mystery novel. It’s a completely serious crime that Canadian authorities are treating with utmost dedication, after more than $30 million worth of the goopy gold went missing from a Quebec warehouse in late August. That’s a considerable portion of the country’s supply — and seeing as Quebec produces around 75% of the world’s maple syrup, the heist has the potential to bruise Canada’s economic sector.

(MORE: Sticky Situation: $30 Million in Maple Syrup Stolen from Canada’s Strategic Syrup Reserve)

But Quebec officials might be one step closer to solving the case after they seized hundreds of barrels from a New Brunswick business, the Globe and Mail reports. The warehouse’s exporter said he purchased the syrup in question from one of his regular Quebec suppliers, but police suspect a link to the syrup that went missing in late August.

After obtaining a search warrant from a New Brunswick court, police hauled away an estimated 800 barrels from S.K. Exports in the town of Kedgwick. Both the company’s manager and its lawyer said it was being “scapegoated” based on previous clashes with the Federation of Quebec Maple Syrup Producers, the organization that maintains the 23,500-barrel reserve from which the syrup was sapped. The exact amount of stolen syrup has not been disclosed, but the barrels seized this week account for only a small portion.

The investigation is still underway, and investigators are looking into the possibility of lie detector tests for key players in the maple syrup industry. The drama continues to unfold — and here you thought maple syrup was merely a delicious accompaniment to your breakfast.

MORE: A Brief History of Maple Syrup