Canadian intelligence officers visited a Quebec firearms manufacturer after its sniper rifles turned up in Russia, according to the company’s president.
The Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) met with Cadex Defence about Russia’s efforts to evade sanctions, Serge Dextraze told Global News.
The briefing took place after Global News reported in October that social media posts showed Cadex rifles for sale in Moscow and in the hands of Russian snipers.
While some of the Canadian-made guns appeared to have been captured from Ukrainian forces, others looked brand new and still had their product tags.
Sanctions imposed in response to President Vladimir Putin’s 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine banned the export of weapons to Russia.
Based south of Montreal, Cadex supplies military and law enforcement agencies worldwide. Dextraze said the company did not export its products to Russia.
CSIS said it had been working with manufacturers and exporters to prevent Russia from acquiring Canadian goods.
“With increased awareness of this illicit activity, Canadian companies are better enabled to proactively vet customers themselves,” a spokesperson said.
CSIS would not comment further, but its May 1 annual report said Russia was attempting to “illicitly procure export controlled and sanctioned technology from the West, including Canada.”
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Russian procurement efforts are focused on materials required “to sustain its military-industrial complex and support its war against Ukraine,” CSIS wrote.
“Specifically, Russia sought to procure Canadian technology, such as microelectronics, satellite communication technology, and precision firearms.”
The report said CSIS had assisted Canadian companies so they could “identify how Canadian goods were being acquired and shipped to Russia.”
Dextraze confirmed in a phone call with Global News that CSIS had met with his company several times to discuss the matter.
The intelligence officers “verified that we have done everything in the perfect way,” but also used the visit as an opportunity to assist the company, he said.
He said the CSIS officials were “sharing their knowledge with the people who had security clearance … How can we be aware of things that we’re not aware of?”
“They did give some help, and the advice that they gave us, we’re not allowed initially to repeat because it’s under high confidentiality,” he said.
“And they told us to maintain, actually, quite a low profile on the methodology that they have proposed to us. But at the end of the day, we already had good systems.”
“You’re dealing with a super big country that if they decide they want to disturb your economy, they are capable to do it, and they have all the tricky ways to do it,” he added.
While the company’s systems were already “pretty good … now we’ll just get one step better,” Dextraze said. “Let’s just say it’s behind us now.”
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Russia has faced widespread sanctions since it invaded neighbouring Ukraine. The measures are an attempt to isolate Putin and undermine his war effort.
But American, European and Canadian firearms have nonetheless appeared in Russia.
In March, a U.S. court convicted an Italian of a scheme that shipped ammunition to Kyrgyzstan. From there, it was moved to Russia to support the war in Ukraine.
More than two dozen Cadex rifles are featured on the website of a Moscow gun retailer, which lists them as “in stock” and includes links to “place your order.”
Photos and videos on social media sites also show Russian snipers, some credited with dozens of kills in Ukraine, firing Cadex rifles.
After Global News reported on the issue last October, Foreign Minister Anita Anand told reporters she was looking into the matter.
More than six months later, the government has not responded to a request from Global News under the Access to Information Act to release documents related to the probe.
Asked what had resulted from Anand’s review, a Global Affairs Canada spokesperson released a statement that did not answer the question.
The statement said there had been no “direct-to-Russia exports of arms” from Canada since 2015, and no parts had gone to the country since 2020.
“We are aware of significant sales of weapons to Ukraine, by Canada and other countries, which could be taken by the Russian military on the battlefield,” it said.
Trying to understand why Russians would need Canadian sniper rifles when their own stuff is battle tested and second to none. Probably only for bragging “look at my new toy” rights.
You forgot “unprovoked” just so you can make it the full meal deal of the B_vine S_tuff.
These are for recycling as it’s the best that can be done for the quality. Can even get near the AK’s sniper quality. So don’t fool yourself
Any Russkie that whacks Putin with one should be able to keep it.
Ironically enough the No More Loopholes bill would’ve prevented arms exports to countries with alleged human rights abuses but the liberals and conservatives shot it down because “our arms exporting laws are already the strongest in the world” and it would “get in the way of Canada’s role in NATO” lmao. Anyone remember that?
What if, for example, Canada sells to Japan and Japan sells to Kazakhstan and Kazakhstan sells to Russia. We’re out there making world markets with dangerous things. See what you fools have done ??
You know. Who’s to say the weapons weren’t purchased before the war with Ukraine. Maybe a 1000 of the snipers rifles were purchased and stored. If the Russian sold or bought after the war started.then ok
What I find intriguing about this story is that it would appear to be a significant security breach, particularly given the involvement of CSIS.
Furthermore, it highlights another facet of the story, namely corruption in Ukraine and the questionable track record of our government regarding scandals related to mismanagement, accountability, and oversight of arms distribution globally, especially in the absence of transparency and tracking of weapons and funding in Ukraine, an issue that has persisted since the war’s inception.
This is particularly noteworthy given that the US and other nations have suspended funding for the war in Ukraine due to these concerns, which our federal government has not adequately addressed since the conflict began.
On a more speculative note, it is possible that Russia acquired the sniper rifle through alternative means, which would render this incident an anomaly.
However, it seems counterintuitive that an item that could potentially be used against us would be deemed a security issue warranting CSIS involvement, and the publication of this story appears unusual in this context.
The lack of comment from our federal government and the Department of National Defense is also puzzling.
Could this be a form of propaganda or an attempt to shape a new narrative in support of the war in Ukraine? There are numerous unanswered questions surrounding this story that render it somewhat suspect.
Canadian made sniper rifles have been used to great effect in various conflicts. Russia probably made a good choice.
Joe’s a russian commie.
Russian probably bought them from Ukrainians
War is good for industry, no matter who wins. Profit is profit, & the more you destroy, the more you can make rebuilding. A capsule summary of human history.
350,000 dead Russians so far are on Putin.
@Tom: Sure Russkie. You are a coward or you would be in Ukraine yourself.
It’s been known for months and they made a visit just recently!?!?
I’m surprised at the Putin sympathizers here but considering DJT is married to his sister, I guess Maple Maga just follows along …
So how many of those guns did Donnie Jr buy?
.. yet we are perfecly fine, arming and funding the banderites who couped ukraine in 2014 with help from the CIA…
we in the west love being on the wrong side of history, and the tyrannical side of humanity.
I as a canadian, expect better of my country, and am perpetually let down.
Ps, for those who are historically challenged, as one of the commenter clearly was, the coup of ukraine happened a month BEFORE the annexation of Crimea; that’s why it was annexed in the first place.
A lot of Canadian made rifles are ex-Ukrainian. If we want to stop Russians from acquiring more we need to end any sales or gifts to Ukraine.
Remember Putin stated this war by illegally annexing Crimea in 2014 and committing full invasion in 2022. Armed Russian soldiers in Ukraine are contractors who basically signed up to go to Ukraine to kill Ukrainians who do not want Ukraine become Russia’s colony again. Armed Russian men in Ukraine are illegal armed criminals who deserve becoming 200 (google it). Putin, who started this war, can end it just by withdrawing his troops from Ukraine and accept already that Ukraine is a foreign country, not Russia’s colony, that Ukrainians have a right to speak their own language and live their lives the way they want. Ukraine is democracy, by the way, compared to Russia where de facto dictator Putin has been ruling since 1999 and changed the Russian constitution to ensure he could stay in power until at least 2036. Ones who say the war would end if we stopped support Ukraine have the logic of defeatists who used to say that the Britain should stop testing Germans in WWII for the war to end – to end with Germany winning. Unacceptable. Unfortunately, stopping Canadian weapons from getting to Russia is impossible because Russian agents buy it from entities in UAE and stans and easily smuggle them to Russia and into Ukraine they are still trying to conquer but they never will.
20 bucks, is 20 bucks.
Buy them back from the russians, somehow.
CSIS has never heard of gun runners
Cisis is a group of incompetant wanta-be 007s pouncing around the world on the taxpayers wallet. They couldn’t ID a real foriegn agent if their lives were at stake. I don’t know whom is selling our sniper rifles and technology to the Russians but I guarantee you
CISIS has not got a clue either.
This war continues because the west profits from it.
Canadian guns are only supposed to kill young Russian men with families. Elbows up killas
Can private buyers legally aquire these weapons? If so, some buyers are selling these weapons on to the Russians.
I hear all the russian men are transitioning into earthworms
good job russia, keep becoming fertilizer
Both Trudeau and Carney admire basic dictatorships
Carney and the progressive liberals probably sold them to China for a low cost for China to turn around to sell them to Russia for a profit.
Carney is literally turning into a dictator in Canada with the policies and moves he has been making, and canadian law protects him, especially when the rcmp and judges have the same idealogy
Comrade Carney wants to sell them to other dictatorships.
One cannot prevent another sovereign country from selling goods or services to another country. It is a waste of our time and money to even try. – Who authorized this waste of tax dollars?
And why is it ok to sell weapons to Ukraine to continue the war? If they were not given or sold weapons, the war and killing would have ended long ago.