A 57-year-old man appeared at the Montreal courthouse on Thursday to face more than a dozen charges for allegedly trying to import illegal weapons for sale.

Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) inspectors searched Joel De Montigny's residence on July 27 and seized five stun guns, two firearm replicas, six throwing stars, and a centrifugal opening knife, a news release says.

"During the search, the individual was arrested for smuggling, possession, acquisition, transfer of illegally imported goods under the Customs Act, as well as for possession of prohibited weapons, importation of prohibited weapons and devices, and contravention of prohibition orders under the Criminal Code," the CBSA said in the release.

A centrifugal opening knife is one that opens with a flick of the wrist.

De Montigny's 13 charges stem from him allegedly attempting to illegally import weapons by mail six times. The CBSA investigation began when a parcel containing a replica .22 pistol was intercepted by border service agents in Vancouver on June 13.

The CBSA said the accused is also associated with five other CBSA seizures of prohibited weapons: 

  • A stun gun on July 24;
  • A stun gun on July 26;
  • Eight brass knuckles on Aug. 2;
  • A stun gun on Aug. 5; and 
  • A prohibited knife on March 11.

"Prohibited weapons and devices endanger our communities and their interception is a priority for the Canada Border Services Agency. Violators are subject to prosecution," said CBSA Quebec regional director general Annie Beausejour.

The CBSA was assisted by Montreal police (SPVM) officers. 

ONGOING ISSUE

CBSA communications advisor Dominique McNeely said that the agency currently has more than a dozen investigations in Quebec open related to the importation of prohibited weapons and devices.

"Identifying illicit movement and interdiction of these commodities is definitely an enforcement priority of the CBSA," said McNeely. "We’re currently conducting more than a dozen investigations in Quebec related to the importation of prohibited weapons and devices. We also receive references to be assessed on an ongoing basis."