Belleville, Ontario
The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) is committed to protecting Canadians by keeping prohibited firearms, weapons and narcotics out of our communities.
The Agency announced today that an arrest has been made for firearms, weapons and smuggling offences as part of an investigation by the CBSA Northern Ontario Region Intelligence and Enforcement Operations Division.
The investigation began in early August 2022 when border services officers working at the Vancouver International Mail Centre intercepted a package containing a Taser, destined for an address in Belleville, Ontario. Tasers meet the definition of a firearm under the Criminal Code and are prohibited in Canada.
On August 31, CBSA investigators, with the assistance of the Belleville Police Service, executed a search warrant at a residence in Belleville, Ontario. During the search of the residence, officers located two prohibited weapons, a firearm and suspected fentanyl, all of which were seized.
As a result, Todd PLEWS, of Belleville, Ontario, has been charged by the CBSA with the following:
- Smuggling, contrary to Section 159(1) of the Customs Act
- Possession of illegally imported goods, contrary to Section 155 of the Customs Act
- Importing a prohibited firearm into Canada, contrary to Section 103(1) of the Criminal Code
- Unauthorized possession of a firearm, contrary to Section 91(1) of the Criminal Code
- Unauthorized possession of a prohibited weapon, contrary to Section 91(2) of the Criminal Code
- Possession of a firearm, contrary to an Order not to do so and Section 117.01 of the Criminal Code
- Possession of a weapon, contrary to an Order not to do so and Section 117.01 of the Criminal Code
- Breach of a probation Order, contrary to Section 733.1(1) of the Criminal Code
- Keeping an animal, contrary to an Order not to do so and Section 447.1 of the Criminal Code
The accused remains in custody and the investigation is ongoing.
