3 suitcases of firearms seized after being smuggled from U.S. into Ontario

Ontario Provincial Police say a 38-year-old man is facing charges in connection with a firearms smuggling investigation.

Police say they received information that led them to identify someone involved in smuggling goods from the U.S. into Cornwall, Ont. The investigation came to a head last Wednesday when the team conducted a vehicle stop under the Customs Act and searched the vehicle.

Three suitcases filled with 26 illegal handguns and two illegal assault-style rifles were found as well as 37 boxes of ammunition, 20 prohibited overcapacity magazines, 74 magazines, one Glock upper receiver and a cell phone.

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“Illegal firearms continue to pose a serious risk to public safety. These firearms are consistently found to be used by organized crime groups to commit violent crimes such as robberies, carjackings, extortion and homicides,” OPP Detective Inspector Lee Fulford said in a release.

The joint investigation involved the U.S.-based border enforcement security task force, the OPP’s provincial weapons enforcement unit (which also includes members 12 police services including Sûreté du Québec), Canada Border Services Agency, RCMP and the Akwesasne Mohawk Police Service.

A man from Akwesasne is facing 126 counts total, including 28 counts of weapons trafficking, 28 counts of possession for the purpose of weapons trafficking and 28 counts of unauthorized possession of a firearm.