(Canada Border Services Agency/Submitted)

By CKOM News

Border services seize guns, other weapons at North Portal crossing

Sep 28, 2020 | 5:21 PM

The Canada Border Services Agency says its officers seized 18 undeclared guns at the North Portal border crossing this summer — many of which belonged to American citizens on their way to Alaska.

In a media release Monday, the CBSA said there were four significant seizures at the Saskatchewan-North Dakota border.

On June 30, officers stopped a United States resident en route to Alaska. A search turned up a prohibited .45-calibre pistol, a prohibited nine-millimetre pistol, a .22-calibre rifle, a 12-gauge shotgun, two prohibited pistol crossbows, a prohibited Airsoft replica firearm, a prohibited stun gun, a prohibited switchblade and a prohibited magazine.

The traveller was arrested and his vehicle was seized. After paying a $4,500 penalty, he returned to the U.S. without the items that had been seized.

In another instance on June 30, CBSA officials stopped an American at the border. During a search, they found a restricted .44-calibre revolver, a restricted .22-calibre handgun, a .50-calibre muzzle-loading rifle, two .22-calibre rifles, a .17-calibre rifle, a .410 shotgun, two sets of prohibited nunchaku sticks, a prohibited blowgun, prohibited brass knuckles (with blades) and 17 prohibited magazines.

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A 51-year-old man was arrested and faces three counts under the Customs Act and two counts under the Criminal Code.

On July 5, a U.S. resident en route to Alaska was stopped at the crossing. Border agents found a restricted 9mm pistol, a restricted 10mm pistol, a prohibited blowgun and extender, five prohibited magazines and a barrel for a 10mm handgun.

He was arrested and his vehicle was seized. He paid a $3,000 penalty, forfeited the items and returned to the U.S.

On July 21, another American on his way to Alaska was stopped at the North Portal crossing. A search discovered a prohibited AR-15-style semi-automatic rifle, three prohibited magazines and a prohibited suppressor.

The man was arrested and his vehicle was confiscated. He paid a $1,500 penalty to get it back and was sent back to the States without his items.

The CBSA reminded travellers to either leave their guns at home when trying to enter Canada or to declare them at the first opportunity. People who don’t declare their guns upon arrival can face arrest, seizure, monetary penalties, and criminal prosecution.

With the Canada-U.S. border restricted due to COVID-19, United States residents can only go through Canada to Alaska for non-discretionary purposes, such as work or returning to their homes.