A joint-forces investigation has led to the seizure of 28 illegal firearms in Cornwall and 126 charges laid against a man from Akwesasne.
This investigation involved the Border Enforcement Security Task Force (BEST), Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Provincial Weapons Enforcement Unit (PWEU), Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), Royal Canadian Mounted Police and Akwesasne Mohawk Police Service.
The investigation was launched after information came to light of an individual involved in smuggling commodities across the Canadian border from the United States.
On May 22, the investigative team conducted a vehicle stop under the Customs Act and a search was initiated.
Investigators located three suitcases that contained 26 illegal handguns and two illegal assault-style rifles, as well as 37 boxes of ammunition, 20 prohibited overcapacity magazines, 74 magazines, one Glock upper receiver and a cell phone.
Steven Johnson, 38, of Akwesasne faces the following charges:
- Possession for the purpose of weapons trafficking (28 counts)
- Weapons trafficking (28 counts)
- Possession of a firearm knowing its possession is unauthorized (28 counts)
- Unauthorized possession of a firearm (28 counts)
- Possession of prohibited or restricted firearm with ammunition (five counts)
- Contravention of transportation regulations (four counts)
- Unauthorized possession of a weapon (one count)
- Unauthorized possession in a motor vehicle (four counts)
The accused was held in custody and is scheduled to appear in court in Cornwall at a later date.
If you have information about suspicious cross-border activity, please contact the CBSA Border Watch Line at 1-888-502-9060.
“These firearms are consistently found to be used by organized crime groups to commit violent crimes such as robberies, carjackings, extortion and homicides,” said OPP Detective Inspector Lee Fulford. “It is imperative that joint forces investigations such as this one continue and that law enforcement in Canada work collaboratively with our US policing partners to curb the flow of illegal firearms across our borders.”