Gun parts seized after being sent from U.S. to mail plants in Mississauga, Montreal

Border services officers at mail processing plants in Mississauga and Montreal recently seized a number of incoming packages from the U.S. that contained illegal gun parts and other items, authorities say.

The seizures by Canada Border Services Agency officers, which also included personal identification documents and licences, “at least one of which appeared to be fraudulent,” have led to numerous firearm and forgery charges being laid against a Markham man.

The border services agency said in a news release on Thursday the various parcels were intercepted by officers at international mail processing centres on Dixie Road in Mississauga, near Toronto Pearson Airport, and in Montreal this past spring.

The packages had been sent from the U.S. and were destined for an address in Markham, the agency said.

A man was arrested on June 17 in connection with the investigation, which was led by the agency’s Ontario Firearms Smuggling Enforcement Team.

Team director Abeid Morgan said the border services agency and its criminal investigations officers continue “to help prevent illegal firearms from threatening the safety of our communities.”

During searches of a vehicle and a Markham home, police recovered various firearms and prohibited devices including an SKS rifle, an airsoft gun, an over-capacity cartridge magazine loaded with ammunition, other cartridge magazines and a box of ammunition.

Wei Xu, 42, of Markham, is charged with 10 offences including several related to firearms in addition to smuggling, using a forged document (two counts) and evading compliance.

The agency said the charges have not yet been tested in court.

(Cover photo: Canada Border Services Agency)