On June 6, 2014, Gary Laird Dean, 72, of St. Petersburg, Florida, pled guilty to non-report of imported goods and smuggling under sections 12 and 159 of the Customs Act and unauthorized possession of a firearm under section 91(1) of the Criminal Code at the Ontario Court of Justice in Brockville. He was ordered to pay a fine of $7,800, a 10-year weapons prohibition was imposed and he was also ordered to submit a DNA sample that will be added to the National DNA Data Bank.
On October 21, 2013, Dean sought entry to Canada at the Prescott port of entry and did not declare any firearms or weapons. He was referred for a secondary examination. During the search of his vehicle, officers initially found an empty handgun holster. They continued their search and located a .380 calibre semi-automatic handgun wrapped in tinfoil and concealed inside a roadside emergency kit. They also found two magazines, one of which was loaded with six rounds of .380 bullets.
Officers arrested Dean and turned him over to the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) Criminal Investigations Division.
Quick Facts
- Canadian firearms laws are clear. All persons, including Canadians, must declare all firearms and weapons in their possession when they enter Canada.
- Failure to declare goods, including firearms and weapons, and other Customs Act contraventions may lead to prosecution in a court of law.
- Anyone with information about suspicious cross-border activity is encouraged to call the CBSA Border Watch toll-free line at 1-888-502-9060.
Quote
“The CBSA takes its border protection responsibilities very seriously, including the interdiction of prohibited firearms and weapons. Firearm and weapon seizures like these serve as a reminder of the important role CBSA officers play in keeping our communities safe.”
- Lance Markell, CBSA District Director
Associated Links
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Caroline Desjarlais
Canada Border Services Agency
Northern Ontario Region
613-991-1591
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