FOLLOWING a Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) investigation, Reuben Velasquez, a 44-year-old foreign national, was sentenced on February 3 in Williams Lake Provincial Court to four years imprisonment after being convicted of the following firearms-related charges:
- One count of possession of a loaded, prohibited or restricted firearm without authorization or license;
- One count of unauthorised possession of a firearm.
On September 1, 2023, Velasquez sought entry to Canada at the Belleville Ferry Terminal in Victoria. Velasquez was referred by the CBSA for examination after declaring multiple firearms. Border services officers conducted a search of his vehicle and found him to be travelling with six undeclared firearms.
CBSA investigators subsequently charged Velasquez for several offences under the Criminal Code. As a foreign national, Velasquez may be subject to removal from Canada upon completion of his sentence.
“The CBSA is committed to combatting crime, strengthening border security, and building safer communities across Canada. I want to thank CBSA’s investigators and border services officers for their diligent work in upholding Canada’s laws and protecting the safety and security of all Canadians,” said federal Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree.
“The CBSA protects our communities with firm and decisive enforcement actions at the border. A sentence like this one serves as a reminder that violating Canada’s laws will have serious consequences. Anyone who attempts to smuggle illegal firearms will be held accountable,” said Nina Patel, Regional Director General, Pacific Region CBSA.
