U.S. man, woman busted at Canada border with guns, drugs
· Toronto Sun
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The Canada Border Services Agency busted two individuals allegedly trying to smuggle guns, ammunition and drugs into Canada.
“CBSA’s border services officers are Canada’s first line of defence against prohibited firearms,” said Jag Johnston, Regional Director General, CBSA Northern Ontario Region. “ Their success in detecting contraband and pursuing prosecutions send a clear message: those who break Canada’s laws will be held accountable.”
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One man, 59, and one woman, 56, were stopped at the Thousand Islands Bridge port of entry southeast of Lansdowne, Ont., on May 23.
The CBSA claims the two accused were seeking to enter Canada in a motorhome towing a pickup truck. The travellers allegedly told the border cops they made a wrong turn towards the Canadian border and had no firearms or narcotics to declare.
But a secondary search of the vehicle allegedly determined that was a lie, as the CBSA claims the driver then admitted he did have a firearm in the motorhome.
Both individuals were arrested for alleged smuggling.
CBSA officers searched the motorhome and allegedly found a whole lot more than just one weapon.
In all, they allegedly seized eight firearms, four of them prohibited; 13 magazines, including seven prohibited over-capacity magazines; 1,500 rounds of ammo; and personal amounts of narcotics, including cocaine, psilocybin and cannabis.
As a result, Daniel Sargent, of Virginia, and Danette Garrelts, of California, were charged with multiple offences.
Their charges include seven counts of failing to report goods; making false statements; twelve counts of smuggling; two counts of possession of a controlled substance; two counts of importing of a controlled substance; importing cannabis; nine counts of careless transportation of a firearm; seven counts of unauthorized possession of a firearm; two counts of unauthorized possession of a prohibited device; three counts of unauthorized possession of a loaded firearm; and eight counts of unauthorized importation of a firearm and unauthorized importation of a prohibited device.
“The Canada Border Services Agency protects our borders and stops illegal firearms from entering the country,” Minister of Public Safety Gary Anandasangaree said. “This seizure of undeclared, prohibited firearms and drugs demonstrates the skill and capacity of border services officers to detect and intercept dangerous goods.”
“I want to thank the officers at the Lansdowne port of entry for their work safeguarding the security of all Canadians,” he added.
The charges have not yet been tested or proven in court.
The accused were remanded into custody and are scheduled to appear in court on July 31.