Two Woodstock, Ont. residents are facing a multitude of charges after provincial police say an assembled and loaded “ghost gun” and three 3D printers were seized this week from a home as part of a joint investigation with Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA).
Members of Oxford OPP, Woodstock police, the OPP Provincial Weapons Enforcement Unit, the OPP Tactics and Rescue Unit, and CBSA raided a home in the city on Wednesday in connection with the probe which began last month, police said.
According to police, in addition to the 3D printers — one of which was allegedly in the process of printing “ghost gun” parts — officers also seized stolen property, suspected morphine pills, suspected cocaine, and cash from the home.
“Ghost guns” are untraceable, unserialized homemade firearms that are either assembled from other weapon parts, or purchased as a kit and then assembled at home. 3D printers can produce “ghost gun” parts which can then be assembled into a functional firearm.
The raid was the culmination of an investigation that began in October after CBSA inspectors intercepted and seized a package containing prohibited devices bound for a Woodstock address, police said.
The two accused, a 33-year-old man and 36-year-old woman, both from Woodstock, face multiple counts under the Customs Act, Criminal Code, and Controlled Drugs and Substances Act.
Police say the 33-year-old faces two charges under the Customs Act, including smuggling prohibited goods into Canada and possessing illegally imported goods, and one count under the CDSA of possessing a Schedule I substance for the purposes of trafficking.
He also faces 13 Criminal Code counts, including possessing a loaded prohibited or restricted firearm, possessing for the purpose of weapons trafficking, trafficking firearms, weapons, devices or ammunition, and four counts of unauthorized possession of a prohibited or restricted firearm.
The 36-year-old faces the same CDSA count, along with 10 Criminal Code counts, including possessing a loaded prohibited or restricted firearm, possessing for the purpose of weapons trafficking, trafficking firearms, weapons, devices or ammunition, and four counts of unauthorized possession of a prohibited or restricted firearm.
Both are expected to appear in Woodstock court at a later date. Anyone with information is asked to contact police or Crime Stoppers.