The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) announced on Feb. 27 that in January 2023, border services officers at CBSA Commercial Operations, Vancouver International Airport District, intercepted several parcels containing large quantities of prohibited weapons. The parcels, destined for addresses in Chilliwack, British Columbia, were imported from China using a false declaration.
This case was referred to the CBSA’s Pacific Region Criminal Investigations team. On January 25, CBSA investigators arrested a Chilliwack resident for suspected offenses under the Customs Act and the Criminal Code. A number of prohibited weapons and firearms were also found during the arrest. On January 26, CBSA investigators executed a search warrant on a residence in Chilliwack, where numerous additional prohibited weapons were seized.
In total, over 1,350 prohibited weapons and 13 prohibited firearms were seized including:
- 360 stun guns
- 422 prohibited knives
- 171 stun batons
- 7 spring-loaded batons
- 390 brass knuckles
- 13 conducted energy weapons (Tasers – classified as prohibited firearms).
The CBSA is reviewing all evidence and charges are pending.
From January 1 to December 31, 2022, the CBSA’s Pacific Region seized a total of 4,049 prohibited weapons.