CANADA Border Services Agency (CBSA) announced this week that on April 26, Jonathan Ressler, a United States resident, was sentenced to 30 months in prison after pleading guilty to the possession of loaded, restricted and prohibited firearms without a license.

On March 19, Ressler was seeking entry to Canada at the Pacific Highway port of entry where he was referred for secondary examination. A search of his vehicle revealed two loaded pistols and four prohibited overcapacity magazines. One of the pistols was a prohibited firearm while the other was a restricted firearm.

CBSA officers arrested and charged him for smuggling and possessing the firearms and prohibited magazines. He remained in custody pending the resolution of his court case.

“We are proud of the work our CBSA investigators and officers are doing to keep prohibited and restricted firearms out of Canada. By preventing and investigating smuggling attempts, we’re reducing the risk of harm to Canadians. I want to thank the CBSA employees for their continued work and dedication,” said Nina Patel, Regional Director General, CBSA Pacific Region.

From 2021 to 2022, the Canada Border Services Agency seized more than 1,200 firearms, the largest number of seizures recorded in a single year.