March 9, 2026 Victoria, British Columbia Canada Border Services Agency
Following a Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) investigation, Reuben Velasquez, a 44-year-old foreign national, was sentenced on February 3, 2026, 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, contrary to s. 95(1) of the Criminal Code;
- One count of Unauthorised possession of a firearm, contrary to s. 91(1) of the Criminal Code.
On September 1, 2023, Velasquez sought entry to Canada at the Belleville Ferry Terminal in Victoria, B.C. 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.
