The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) has laid charges following a firearms seizure in Ontario.
On July 5, 2023, Richard Lyndon Ray, a U.S. resident, arrived at the Lansdowne port of entry and was referred for a secondary examination. During the examination, CBSA officers discovered two prohibited handguns, two long guns, a prohibited butterfly knife and ammunition inside the vehicle. All of the items were seized.
Ray was arrested and charged by the CBSA with:
- four counts of smuggling, contrary to Section 159(1) of the Customs Act
- four counts of non-report of goods, contrary to Section 12(1) of the Customs Act
- Making false statements, contrary to Section 153(a) of the Customs Act
- four counts of possession of a firearm knowing its possession is unauthorized, contrary to Section 92(1) of the Criminal Code
- two counts of possession of a prohibited firearm with ammunition, contrary to Section 95(1) of the Criminal Code
- Unauthorized possession of a prohibited weapon, contrary to Section 91(2) of the Criminal Code
- four counts of careless use of a firearm, contrary to Section 86(1) of the Criminal Code
He is next scheduled to appear in court in Brockville on August 11, 2023.
The CBSA publishes rules regarding importing a firearm or weapon into Canada online. Firearms that are not properly declared, and the vehicles used to carry them, may be seized by the CBSA. The Agency may also launch criminal proceedings against travelers who violate border laws. A court conviction can result in fines, jail time, and impact a foreign national’s ability to return to Canada in the future.
