<p>CALGARY – The RCMP and Canada Border Services Agency have intercepted four shipments of prohibited weapons, including stun guns, that were destined for a Calgary address after being shipped out of China.</p> <p>Border services staff say the first shipment was discovered in Vancouver at the end of March. The goods were declared as LED lights but instead contained stun guns, brass knuckles and butterfly knives. All are considered prohibited weapons in Canada.</p> <p>Three other shipments followed, leading to the seizure of a total of 89 prohibited weapons, including 50 stun guns, which can discharge up to 50,000 volts.</p> <p>”These came out of the box fully charged,” said RCMP Sgt. Patrick Webb as the stun guns were fired up and issued sparks and a loud crackle at a news conference Monday afternoon.</p> <p>”The most important point to remember here is that these are a lot of weapons that are not going to be on the streets of Calgary or the streets of Alberta because there’s no way that any one individual would want this type of material,” said Webb.</p> <p>”These are for sale. These would be ending up in the hands of people that would be using them around our communities.”</p> <p>Webb said the stun guns would retail for about $100 on the street. He said he couldn’t say if the weapons were destined for organized crime, but added they were likely to be used in a bar fight or in the commission of a crime.</p> <p>An official with border services says people would be surprised at how often prohibited weapons are ordered off the Internet and shipped into Canada. The four shipments came from China, but there are a number of countries where they can be purchased, said Richard Cuzzetto, manager of criminal investigations.</p> <p>”I can’t speak specifically to conducted energy weapons (stun guns) but I can say in the last five years CBSA has intercepted over 16,000 prohibited weapons in total – that’s an average of over eight per day,” he said.</p> <p>”This is the largest seizure of these types of weapons in Alberta this year. But there have been other years where you might have a seizure involving hundreds of prohibited weapons.”</p> <p>Kyle Gibbons, 20, of Calgary faces 17 charges, including possession of a prohibited weapon for the purpose of trafficking, smuggling and importation of prohibited weapons.</p> <p>Cameron Powell, 46, also of Calgary, has been charged with possession of a controlled substance.</p> <p>A large amount of cash as well as drugs and drug paraphernalia were also seized.</p> <p>Police say more charges are pending.</p>
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