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April was a Busy Month for Border Officers in Alberta

May 13, 2016 | 8:45 AM

SOUTHERN ALBERTA – Officers at the Coutts border crossing seized four undeclared handguns last month.

A prohibited .357 handgun was discovered on April 5th, which resulted in an Ohio resident being charged with smuggling and making false statements.

The next day, officers inspecting an RV trailer found a prohibited .380-calibre handgun in a lock-box safe, a prohibited .40-calibre handgun underneath clothes in a nearby laundry basket, as well as two loaded overcapacity magazines. An Alabama woman was arrested, but was allowed to continue into Canada to Alaska without the prohibited items after she paid a $2,000 penalty for failing to declare.

Then on April 28th, officers at Coutts arrested a Montana man after finding a restricted .45-calibre handgun in the dresser of a travel trailer. He paid a $1,000 penalty for failing to declare and was returned to the United States.

The Canada Border Services Agency also reports another firearm bust at the Carway crossing on April 29th. Officers found a loaded prohibited .38-calibre revolver while X-raying cardboard boxes in a pickup truck. The firearm was packed with ammunition, shoes, and watches. A Tennessee man who was moving to Alaska was arrested, issued a $1,000 penalty for failing to declare, and returned to the United States.