RVers fined $20k for bringing guns into Canada

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Gary RV_Wizard

Gary RV_Wizard

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In case you thought the Canadians were kidding about their prohibition of personal weapons, read this article about two brothers-in-law who lied to the border guards about having weapons and then got caught with an assortment of guns in their motorhome. Several days in jail and a fine of $10,000 each has no doubt made them much more aware that Canada is really serious.  I don't know if they were naive, stupid or just plain foolish, but I'll bet hopefully they are wiser now. Lucky for them they tried the stunt in Canada rather Mexico!

http://www2.canada.com/story.html?id=5830190
 
And the two guys were lucky that the prosecutor went with a summary judgement instead of an indictment. As the article says, an indictment would have meant three years in jail if they were found guilty!
 
One said he was afraid he was going into a land of wild west shootouts and covered wagons north of the 49th. Good grief, are some people really that ignorant? ::)
 
These nuts didn't think this out, at all. Supposing they had made it past customs; just how well did they think they were going to do with their guns and obvious lack of experience, against these imaginary, experienced, "wild west" gunmen?  :eek:  ::)  A few days in jail may have been helpful for their future decision making.

The judge was thoughtfully sympathetic and lenient. I'd like to shake his hand.  :)

And, yes, by the way, I'm still that right wing, Second Ammendment, gunslinger. Just that some things are too stupid for words.  :mad: 

Ray, gun totin, D  ;D
 
Is it SOP for Canadian Customs to inspect the interior of all entering motorhomes or do the Customs officers pick & choose which get inspected or searched?

Mike Wagner
 
http://usgovinfo.about.com/od/rightsandfreedoms/a/gunstocanada.htm

There probably won't be a problem if the paperwork is done.....
These guys lied when asked about firearms, and for whatever reason the officer decided on a search..
 
Is it SOP for Canadian Customs to inspect the interior of all entering motorhomes or do the Customs officers pick & choose which get inspected or searched?
Click to expand...

The are selective, as are the US border guards. It is strictly up to their individual judgement.

An interesting tidbit on this subject: we caravanned with a friend who had a shotgun onboard, with the required Canadian permit for it. They were searched at every border crossong - apparently having the permit indicated they might have other, undeclared, weapons as well. If we were behind them at the crossing, we got searched as well (though in a perfunctory manner), simply because we were traveling with someone who was known to have a gun (one of the agents told me that himself).  After that, we always went through the border crossing first, so that we cleared before they learned the other coach has a gun permit. Nothing nefarious - it just cut the time delay in half.

A friendly border guard in the little town of Stewart, BC, told us that if we had a NRA or Semper Fi sticker on either coach or toad, or if we had Texas license plates, they would probably do at least a quick walk-thru.
 
Gary RV Roamer said:
The are selective, as are the US border guards. It is strictly up to their individual judgement.


A friendly border guard in the little town of Stewart, BC, told us that if we had a NRA or Semper Fi sticker on either coach or toad, or if we had Texas license plates, they would probably do at least a quick walk-thru.
Click to expand...

Wonder if a Rebel Flag would be another "flag"?
 
>>or if we had Texas license plates<<

I believe Florida tags are a flag also. When we crossed they really grilled me until they figured out we were not fulltimers. However, they never searched anywhere I would hide a gun if I had one.
 
It's amazing how many people still think that we (Canada), are still living in the dark ages, and that we'll all a bunch of Eskimos.  :mad:  In my books they deserve everything they got and then some. 
 
ruthandken CDN said:
It's amazing how many people still think that we (Canada), are still living in the dark ages, and that we'll all a bunch of Eskimos.  :mad:  In my books they deserve everything they got and then some.
Click to expand...

If you do the crime pay the fine...I don't have to agree w/a law to obey it ... get caught w/a gun in Massachusetts  I'm told a CC doesn't hold water there ...right or wrong it's the law of the land your entering ..I don't go where  I'm not welcome...I have visited Canada and enjoyed every minute...more when I traveled out of the tourist areas which I'm sure holds true to a visitor here in the States too. The people were friendly and the only issue was asking for unsweetened iced tea...you'd think I had two heads...  ;D
 
    George, you betcha, tea needs to be brewed, served hot with milk, preferably evaporated milk.  While I don't see it here in this forum, it continues to amaze me how many Americans who are totally knowledgeable about us.  Only a few years ago, people in a car (un-named state) stopped me to ask where they could see people living in igloos, BTW it was in  in July and the temperature was in the 90's. 

Ed
 
I think trying to enter any country and lying about having guns will have you end up in front of a judge  or worse depending on the country.

 
ruthandken CDN said:
It's amazing how many people still think that we (Canada), are still living in the dark ages, and that we'll all a bunch of Eskimos.  :mad:  In my books they deserve everything they got and then some.
Click to expand...

And conversely it's amazing to me how thin skinned SOME Canadiens are about perceived insults, particularly from Americans.  I hate to tell you, but there are a lot of things many of us don't know about Canada.  Most of us try to find out and some don't.  I bet it's the same way with you.  So don't get your knickers all twisted up about INDIVIDUAL cases.  Neither all Americans nor all Canadiens are the same.
 
Gary RV Roamer said:
- apparently having the permit indicated they might have other, undeclared, weapons as well.
Click to expand...

Yes, when I crossed in '07 I had legal guns that were declared, but was still searched.  Kinda funny they opened my briefcase and I had a spreadsheet of all of my guns with serial numbers and where they were...
Agent asked me if I owned any pistols and then asked where they were.  When my answers matched the sheet, the search was over.
2 was with wife to fly and I gave one to my dad. ;D

Was a VERY painful crossisg though---had to dig the guns out 3 times because of their disorganization.  once on US side and twice on on the Canadian side...
 
The funny part is that if those idiots got caught bringing undeclared guns into the US they would get their butts in a sling just as well. Why would you think it's OK to bring them into some other country??

The sad part is that those stories give law abiding gun owners a bad name. I hope they confiscated the guns as well. 
 
ruthandken CDN said:
It's amazing how many people still think that we (Canada), are still living in the dark ages, and that we'll all a bunch of Eskimos.  :mad:  In my books they deserve everything they got and then some.
Click to expand...

I guess it's the same with the Canadians when they see Texas plates on our vehicles, and assume that Texans are all some kind of cowboy, or see Arkansas plates and assume that we don't wear shoes and are all in bread gun nuts. We went into Canada back in the 60's from Washington state, and had a great time with the people there, but in the 80's I turned around at the border north of N. Dakota because of the treatment of their border inspectors. I had my shield on the dash and a F.O.P. sticker on the corner of my windshield. I was informed very sarcastically that just because I was a police officer in Arkansas that I did not have the right to transport firearms in Canada. I did inform the officer that he was more than welcome to inspect my vehicle, but I have decided not to visit them after all and that I was turning back to N. Dakota. [I also gave him the reason. "His attitude!"
 
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