CORNWALL – A Quebec man is facing charges after border agents seized 26 guns as well as various other gun-related items.
The seizure happened on March 28 as the driver was coming into the Cornwall port of entry. He was sent to secondary inspection.
That’s when Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officers say they found an assault rifle, 17 prohibited handguns, eight restricted handguns, one suppressor, 44 magazines, two fast loaders and one regular ammunition loader.
The accused appeared in a Cornwall court last week to answer to one count each of non-reporting, making false statements and smuggling as well as 26 counts of unauthorized possession of a firearm and 26 counts of importing firearms.
The border has been closed to non-essential traffic since March 2020.
Asked by Cornwall Newswatch how the individual was allowed through the border, CBSA spokesperson Louis-Carl Brissette Lesage says Canadians, dual citizens, permanent residents and those registered as Indian under the Indian Act are still allowed to come into Canada by right. They are subject to enhanced screening and testing unless they’re exempted.
Since the guns, magazines and other items were not declared, the CBSA says they will be destroyed.