CBSA announces firearms seizure, arrest of traveller at Thousand Islands Bridge

The Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) has announced the arrest of a traveller from the USA along with the seizure of multiple prohibited weapons at the Lansdowne port of entry, commonly referred to as the Thousand Islands Bridge US/Canada border crossing.

The CBSA said it is “committed to keeping undeclared and prohibited firearms” from entering Canada, with the goal of “keeping our communities safe.” Proof of these efforts was offered in the form of a detailed overview of a recent arrest and firearms seizure.

According to the agency, a US resident arrived at the Lansdowne port of entry on Wednesday, Jul. 5, 2023. The man was referred for a secondary examination, CBSA said, and during that examination, border security officers located two prohibited handguns, two long guns, a prohibited butterfly knife, and ammunition inside his vehicle – all of which were seized.

As a result, Richard Lyndon Ray was arrested and charged with:

• Four counts of smuggling, contrary to Sect. 159(1) of the Customs Act
• Four counts of the non-reporting of goods, contrary to Sect. 12(1) of the Customs Act
• Making false statements, contrary to Sect. 153(a) of the Customs Act
• Four counts of possession of a firearm knowing its possession is unauthorized, contrary to Sect. 92(1) of the Criminal Code
• Four counts of careless use of a firearm, contrary to Section 86(1) of the Criminal Code

According to the CBSA, Ray is scheduled to appear in court in Brockville in early August.

“I’m tremendously proud of our officers at Lansdowne for intercepting these undeclared and prohibited firearms before they could enter Canada. This is another example of the important work our team does each day to secure the border,” Eric Lapierre, Regional Director General of the CBSA Northern Ontario Region, said in a statement.

The CBSA stopped more than 1,100 firearms from entering Canada and boarder-adjacent communities in 2022. In the same year, border officers kept 24,400 prohibited weapons out of the country and off of Canadian streets, the agency disclosed. A detailed listing of items seized by the CBSA on an annual basis can be found on the CBSA website.

Anyone with information about suspicious cross-border activity is asked to contact the CBSA Border Watch Line toll-free at 1-888-502-9060, or through the CBSA online portal.