VANCOUVER, BC, Dec. 5, 2024 /CNW/ - The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) is committed to protecting Canadians by keeping prohibited firearms and weapons out of our communities.
On April 18, 2024, Russell Vernon Major, a resident of Burnaby, B.C., was found guilty in Surrey Provincial Court of the following charges:
- Customs Act s.159 – smuggling
- Customs Act s.153(a) – false statements
- Criminal Code s.95(1) – possession of prohibited firearm with ammunition
- Criminal Code s.92(1) – possession of prohibited devices
- Criminal Code s.104(1) – importation of a prohibited firearm
- Criminal Code s.104(1) – importation of a prohibited device
On November 21, 2024, he was sentenced to five years imprisonment. He was also ordered to provide a DNA sample and received a firearms prohibition.
On August 15, 2022, Major was returning to Canada from the United States at the Douglas port of entry in Surrey, B.C. Upon secondary examination of his vehicle, Border Services Officers discovered an undeclared Glock-style Polymer80 handgun and two prohibited magazines. CBSA investigators subsequently charged Major for several offences under the Customs Act and Criminal Code.
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"This sentencing sends a strong message that those who knowingly violate Canada's firearm laws will be held to justice and the smuggling of illegal firearms will not be tolerated. The Canada Border Services Agency is keeping our border and our communities safe by preventing prohibited firearms from coming into our country."
– The Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs
"The Canada Border Services Agency Criminal Investigations Section worked diligently to investigate this case and provide evidence for conviction. This sentence should be a strong deterrent to anyone considering the importation of illegal firearms. The CBSA will continue to remove illicit firearms from our streets and investigate those who break Canada's laws."
- Nina Patel, Regional Director General, Canada Border Services Agency, Pacific Region
Related
CBSA seizes "ghost guns" in British Columbia, Aug. 3, 2022
Quick Facts
- Between January 1 and October 31, 2023, the CBSA kept over 800 firearms and 21,900 prohibited weapons off our streets in the continued efforts to keep our communities safe. For the latest enforcement statistics, visit Canada Border Services Agency seizures.
- Prohibited firearms and devices are high-risk commodities and keeping them out of Canada is a CBSA enforcement priority.
- A list of restricted and prohibited goods, including firearms, can be found here.
- If you have information about suspicious cross-border activity, please contact the CBSA Border Watch Line toll-free at 1-888-502-9060.
X |Twitter: @CanBorderPAC
SOURCE Canada Border Services Agency
Media Relations: Canada Border Services Agency, [email protected], 1-877-761-5945
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