HALIFAX – Police offered an impressive show-and-tell of 72 firearms seized last week at two locations.
The collection, which officers estimate is worth $80,000, includes a sniper rifle, shotguns, handguns and approximately 10,000 rounds of ammunition.
The Guns and Gangs Unit of the Integrated Criminal Investigation Unit executed two search warrants yesterday as part of an ongoing investigation. The bulk of the firearms were found at an apartment in the 300-block of Main Avenue in Fairview.
Some of the weapons were loaded and all were unsafely stored.
“I’ve never seen it before,” said Sgt. Mike Cecchetto, who took part in the seizure. “They were just laying on the coffee table, behind the door, on the floor, in the bedrooms, everywhere. They were just laying in the apartment.”
Police also searched a property in Lantz, N.S. two days later and found more firearms.
As far as investigators can tell, all the weapons were legally obtained and registered, despite being rare and in some cases, extremely dangerous.
“Some are very powerful,” said Cecchetto. “I don’t know why anyone would have (a sniper rifle) unless they are a collector, right? They could be a collector and have it just for the purpose of just having one.”
Police say they do not believe the two men charged in the case, aged 21 and 27, were part of illegal activity. However, they were concerned the weapons could fall into the wrong hands.
“If anybody with a criminal aspect realized that these firearms are in that apartment, they could be easy victim to a home invasion or break and enter.”
The men will appear in court on Jan. 20, 2015 to face numerous counts of unsafe storage of firearms and unauthorized possession of a firearm.
Cecchetto does not expect the firearms will be returned to the owners. He says police intend to make a request through the courts to have the weapons destroyed.
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