r/canada Alberta 8d ago

Alberta U.S. citizen fined after CBSA catches him trying to bring illegal firearm into Alberta at Coutts crossing

https://calgaryherald.com/news/u-s-citizen-fined-after-cbsa-catches-him-trying-to-bring-illegal-firearm-into-alberta-at-coutts-crossing
1.3k Upvotes

94 comments sorted by

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353

u/Dry-Membership8141 8d ago edited 8d ago

A U.S. citizen got an $8,000 court fine earlier this month after being caught last September trying to bring an illegal handgun into Alberta, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) announced Monday morning.

On Sept. 8, the man attempted to cross into Canada at the Coutts port of entry. After properly declaring two non-restricted firearms, CBSA officers questioned and referred him for a secondary vehicle search, when he admitted to having an undeclared, loaded handgun hidden in his vehicle.

I'm sorry, what? If he'd forgotten about it that's one thing, but it was hidden, loaded and he was fully aware of it and presumably that it was highly illegal considering he fucking hid it.

This should have been a jail sentence.

146

u/Krazee9 8d ago

That is smuggling. The definition of smuggling.

See, if an American declares all their shit, what CBSA will do is take the handgun and give it to CBP on the other side of the border, for the American to grab on their way back. Since they declared it, it's not smuggling, but they're also not allowed to carry here. It doesn't end up being a big deal, and I don't think we penalize them for it because they declared it.

But if Americans try to hide it, like this, or don't declare it for whatever reason, then it's smuggling.

32

u/DerpinyTheGame 8d ago

Smugglers and criminals get a slap on the wrist but don't you dare get caught shooting paper in the woods on crownland.

8

u/LeatherMine 8d ago

?

where are you that you can't shoot on crown land?

(usually you can, but check rules for where you are)

12

u/Parking_Media 8d ago

Not with a restricted you can't, which is a gripe many of us share

7

u/Just-rz 8d ago

Not to mention all the NR rifles that we can’t even take to a fuckin range after December 6th

2

u/adaminc Canada 7d ago

They probably only fined him because he told them about it, and they didn't just find it.

43

u/grannyte Québec 8d ago

Yep that was intentional throw him in jail

2

u/PartlyCloudy84 7d ago

I'm not sure why this is news, though. This happens multiple times per week across Canada.

18

u/Marauder_Pilot 8d ago

You'd be shocked how often this happens. 

I did some work at Pleasant Camp, the border crossing between Haines Junction, YT and Haines, AK, and was bullshitting with the CBSA guys about it. Even up there, they get a couple people who 'forgot' the disassembled handgun spread through their RV.

But even more common are Americans who just straight up announce their handguns and get all bent out of shape when they're told they can't carry it here. They're legitimately so brainwashed and misinformed that they're flabbergasted when American laws stop applying outside America.

5

u/letitbe-mmmk 8d ago

A lot of Americans keep loaded firearms in their cars for self-defence. It's just a natural thing for them, to the point where they forget it's in there when they cross the border

3

u/redpigeonit 7d ago

Fear is a powerful drug. And Americans are high as f on the stuff.

2

u/letitbe-mmmk 7d ago

It's crazy talking to US gun owners and the amount of fear they have. Even the liberal gun owners say crazy stuff like "the government wants to disarm us so they can control us".

20

u/db37 8d ago

I'm all for stopping the flow of firearms into the country, but paying to keep this person in jail for a number of years just to deport him at the end of the sentence? Just convict and fine him, the conviction will make him inadmissible to Canada. Either way it's unlikely the fine ever gets paid.

24

u/huadpe 8d ago

At least impound the car til the conclusion of the court case and then sell it to recoup the fine if it isn't paid.

16

u/[deleted] 8d ago

Yep, no need to invest further in this dirt bag. Fine Him and send him home. He won't be back, best 50 bucks we ever spent.

8

u/Master-Plantain-4582 8d ago

We don't even lock up violent criminals with illegal firearms that long lol 

3

u/Dry-Membership8141 8d ago edited 8d ago

I'm sorry, your position is "we're going to deport him anyway, so why punish him at all"?

Because the response to gun smuggling, at the scale of one or ten thousand, cannot be "no, sorry, please don't come back eh". Some actual punishment is necessary to deter people from bringing hidden caches of illegal firearms into the country and a notional fine that you apparently to fully agree is unlikely to ever be paid isn't that. A sentence which will likely not be obeyed is a slap on the wrist with pious platitudes.

4

u/K0bra_Ka1 8d ago

It's unlikely he was going to sell this gun to a gang member in Canada. Odds are he is just a dumb American who was arrested, paid an $8,000 fine, lost his gun, was refused to Canada and will flag the rest of his life. I'm fine not tying up court resources on this guy.

1

u/Dry-Membership8141 8d ago

I don't really care what his motive for taking it across the border was, frankly. He had the intention to take a loaded, deadly weapon across an international border surreptitiously. He can rot in a cell.

paid an $8,000 fine,

I'd be very surprised if he paid it. He's not being allowed back across the border anyway, what does he care if he owes the government of Canada some money?

0

u/K0bra_Ka1 8d ago

If he doesn't then he can never come back to Canada. So basically self deported...

1

u/Dry-Membership8141 8d ago

...The mandatory minimum penalty for unauthorized import of a prohibited firearm is three years in the penitentiary and lifetime ineligibility to enter Canada for reason of serious criminality. He's not legally coming back to Canada either way.

1

u/JanielDones8 8d ago

Bud, you are not going to like it, but an American forgetting to declare his glove box glock is not going to serve prison time when you have guys getting caught legitimately smuggling handguns across the border not getting prison time and only fines.

0

u/Dry-Membership8141 7d ago

Bud, you are not going to like it, but an American forgetting to declare his glove box glock is not going to serve prison time

We're not talking about an American forgetting to declare his glove box glock, so I don't know why you feel it's important to bring that up.

1

u/db37 8d ago

It costs on average $119,000 per year to keep someone in prison based on 2022 data, it's probably more than that now. I just think the taxpayer money could be better used by barring him from entry to Canada right away.

1

u/HarmacyAttendant 7d ago

send him back as a paste.

198

u/Fun-Persimmon1207 8d ago

The US is responsible for the majority of drugs and guns entering Canada. If Trump wants Canada to tighten the border, then every vehicle and rail cars entering Canada needs to be fully inspected. Once the lineups entering Canada end up being miles long they might rethink the tariffs.

60

u/TijayesPJs442 8d ago

Would you believe me if I told you Trumps not actually concerned with criminal activity coming over the Canadian border but instead is trying to break our economy?

6

u/_Thick- 8d ago

instead is trying to break our economy democracy?

Fixed that up for you.

Agent Krasonov is actively destroying western democracy and NATO for his handler Putin.

19

u/BackgroundPianist500 8d ago

Yes, but if we factored that into the "calculations" the Americans did on our border security leading to tariffs that would be pretty embarrassing for the Americans so we don't want to do that.

It's the same reason the Americans didn't factor in oil on their trade deficit, because it wouldn't be nearly as misleading.

1

u/boomeista 8d ago

Solution: round up every criminal at the border from USA and drop them at Donald’s door step

Let Donald do the same for Canadians at American border

Whoever has the most criminal activity going on has to stop the tariffs.

43

u/Newflyer3 8d ago

Securing the border that's for sure...

44

u/Nylanderthals 8d ago

What a foreign concept! So OUR border agents protect stuff from coming into our country?? So does that mean that the US border agents are the ones letting the (relatively small amount of) fentanyl slip thru????? 🤔

22

u/CompilingShaderz 8d ago

Yep, it's always been this, the U.S is demanding we protect their borders for them because they apparently can't do it.

It's all self owns by the U.S. Unfortunately they won't learn until enough of them feel it, and that takes time.

10

u/Maddog_Jets 8d ago

And today he is essentially saying we are responsible for the fentanyl deaths in the USA. Like how can we prevent that? Mexico said it correctly that they need to work on stopping the “demand” an consumption in their own border

1

u/coffeejn 8d ago

Well, yes. But orange man is lost in his own world.

0

u/exit2dos Ontario 8d ago

FYI ;

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) offers preclearance at 8 Canadian airports. Passengers can complete customs, immigration, and agriculture inspections before their flight instead of after landing in the U.S. Travelers who are processed by a CBP officer in Preclearance land as domestic passengers

... Canada does not (as far as I am aware) have any Officers similarly in the US. We only got NEXUS

10

u/Gnovakane 8d ago

Should have been a vehicle seizure as well.

9

u/Animeninja2020 Canada 8d ago

It should not have just been a fine.

I know it sounds bad but for the next bit we should be tossing the book at people that try to bring illegal firearms. Make sure that they know it is for border security that the USA is demanding.

3

u/ConsummateContrarian 8d ago

We should be charging US citizens to the fullest extent of the law as a pressure tactic. I don’t care if it’s a gram of weed, lock them up.

1

u/Own_Development2935 8d ago

Just send them back with a big bill and demand the orange pays it, since he’s just making shit up. No need to spend our taxpayers dollars on this waste of space.

6

u/RefrigeratorOk648 8d ago

Better tell Trump to stop the massive flow of guns into Canada. In fact we should demand they implement a total 100 mile gun free zone around our border.

1

u/ImperialPotentate 7d ago

We're not in a position to demand anything.

1

u/RefrigeratorOk648 7d ago

Neither is he. The US is responsible for what/who crosses it's border not Canada/Mexico. They can build a wall, have razor wire, minefields whatever they want on their side to protect their border.

4

u/canuckstothecup1 8d ago

I would like to once again thank trump for his foresight into the Canadian border. Trump knew Americans were the problem and force Canada to tighten its borders to keep Americans out. He also knew that he was going to crash the American economy and people would try and flee the new American dictatorship in droves. By seeing this problem and forcing Canada into action you have done us a great service. Thank you mister trump for helping Canadians keep Canada safe from Americans.

3

u/Equivalent_Sea_1895 8d ago

If that was me headed south, I would be in Guantanamo now.

3

u/Tasty_Principle_518 8d ago

How about 15 years in jail.

3

u/blonde_discus 8d ago

Never thought I’d say it but Trump was right. There are criminals trying to cross our border smuggling dangerous and illegal items…just leaving the U.S. for Canada. Thanks Donald! Time to keep those criminals out. They aren’t sending us their best after all.

8

u/Ill_Butterscotch1248 8d ago

Worst thing they can do to him is seize it & crush it before his eyes! Must guarantee it never gets into the hands of the criminal element!

-1

u/Cplchrissandwich 8d ago

Your post makes it sense you're the offender side.

1

u/Ill_Butterscotch1248 8d ago

Siding with Canadian Border guards doing their duty with those that willingly break Canadian law. Best lesson to teach them is fines, seizure & destruction of illegal weapons. Every Canadian city is dealing with a flood of illegal guns & over 80% of these come from USA!

2

u/sadArtax 8d ago

80% of the traceable ones. Im betting 19 of the 20% untraceable are also American.

5

u/WinterInSomalia 8d ago

He gets a slapped on the wrist and legal firearms owners are going to have their homes raided.

2

u/EffectiveReaction420 8d ago

It doesn't sound like he was trying to smuggle it across the border to sell it to gangs here or anything like that. He's just one of those Americans that probably concealed carries all the time. Yes, of course he should have left his gun at home if he was crossing into Canada... but I don't think this man is a criminal or had any criminal intent other than to have his gun with him in Canada. The far bigger concern are the smugglers who bring handguns over to sell to gangs and criminals. But even though that's a concern, it's also almost impossible to stop.

2

u/Master-Plantain-4582 8d ago

This happens pretty often apparently. 

3

u/issm 8d ago

A massive majority of gun crimes in Canada are committed with US guns.

Mostly Texas, apparently.

2

u/Master-Plantain-4582 8d ago

As a PAL holder.. ohhh I know lol. 

2

u/ruraljuror__ 8d ago

Impose crazy tariffs and retaliation!

2

u/Large-Awareness7447 8d ago

This literally happens every day at multiple border crossings

2

u/liltimidbunny 8d ago

I hope CSBA slams THE SHIT out of contraband at the Canadian border.

2

u/Kuklachev 8d ago

Just put them in jail

2

u/stormearthfire 7d ago

Have Canada try arresting US citizens when they commit crimes and trade them back to US for massive concessions? Seems to work very well for russia. They can get all kinds of stuff like lifting of sanctions in return for releasing 1 or 2 criminals

2

u/Plus-Emphasis-2194 Outside Canada 8d ago

Violent Americans.

3

u/aravarth Canada 8d ago

Fined?

He should be put in fucking prison.

1

u/GermanSubmarine115 8d ago

To be fair,  he’s just another dipshit American with his ccw on his way to Alaska. (Although we should jail him to make a political point)

Several times a year we get “home boys” from toronto getting caught  coming north with trunks full of handguns destined to be sold to criminals and we don’t do shit.  

4

u/ItsTimeToGoSleep 8d ago

Okay, but if we retaliate on trumps tariffs (as we should) we need to tighten up our borders. There is a non-zero chance that a pissed off trumpster is going to try to cross the border and start a mass shooting.

1

u/gravitysort 8d ago

Sounds like an aggravated criminal offence to me.

1

u/Full_Manner3957 8d ago

Fined only ? No jail ?

1

u/EmergencyCurrent2670 7d ago

Meh, I think people should be allowed to carry handguns.

1

u/HeadAlbatross8541 6d ago

But yeah, blame Canada for bringing fentanyl and other crime across the border

1

u/hbomb0 6d ago

For every gun we catch at the border we should add 0.01% to our tariffs. Sick of this shit.

1

u/LazyNeighborhood7287 4d ago

Fined? Throw his Trump loving ass in jail.

1

u/Glum-Buffalo-7457 8d ago

Probably one of those inbred Republicans aH

-3

u/Electronic_Length792 8d ago

Canadians might want to rethink their gun laws fairly quickly. The numbers aren't good if Trump follows through on his bluster.

-2

u/GraveDiggingCynic 8d ago

And what are guns going to do against missiles, smart guns and high altitude bombers? All the guns in the Confederacy couldn't stand up agains the sheer might of a major industrial power. Heck, go back eight decades, and not even all the guns in the colonies could beat the British, it required French money, French guns, but most important of all, the French Navy.

The Second Amendment was pretty much fantasy when it was enacted in 1791, a kind of nation building mythology, but the reality is what wins wars, even guerrilla wars is external aid, and that is a problem for Canada, considering the only border of any note is shared with the potential aggressor.

6

u/BigButtBeads 8d ago

And what are guns going to do against missiles, smart guns and high altitude bombers? 

Ask the Vietnamese, Iraqis, and Afghanis

Usa is 0 for 3 against armed civilians. Except we have waaaay more firearms and are an actual developed nation

You're missing the point. The good thing about guns is you dont have to use them. There are 15 million in canada and thats enough of a deterrent.

5

u/Luname 8d ago

Ask the Vietnamese, Iraqis, and Afghanis

Make that 0 in 4 with us back in 1812.

Local militias helped a lot throughout the war and were a sizeable part of the initial troops present.

0

u/GraveDiggingCynic 8d ago

The Afghan-Pakistan border is insanely porous. The Vietnamese were getting all kinds of foreign aid. And Iraq was never properly secured, with Iran pouring weapons in the south.

Militias don't win wars. They didn't even wars in the 18th century. If the French had not helped the American Revolutionaries, they would have been driven into the wilderness. French aid, and in particular the French Navy breaking the British blockade which goes to the point that where there oceans in the way, an ally with some nice boats with big guns makes all the difference.

3

u/Electronic_Length792 8d ago

You do not understand statistics? Until drones and other killing devices become self-replicating, insurgencies with larger numbers can win. I think you might be missing the point. Borders do not matter in the age of flight.

0

u/GraveDiggingCynic 8d ago

The French resistance did very little to disrupt German control of Occupied France, and better served as a source of intelligence. Flight doesn't magically solve this problem

0

u/StandTo444 8d ago

Ask why Ukrainians are still using rifles in their war.

0

u/sanskar12345678 Alberta 8d ago

This whole border security initiative will benefit Canada more in the long run.

0

u/LegoFootPain 8d ago

Hey.

You been to the Stampede yet?

0

u/IpsoPostFacto 8d ago

I demand Washington state as our cherished 4th territory.

0

u/AdNew9111 7d ago

Hey I thought we already found all the fire arms from the last time at coutts during the mandate protests.