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A 16-year-old boy faces multiple weapons charges after a police investigation that started when a package destined for Saskatoon was found to contain prohibited gun parts.
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On Sept. 2, border services officers in the Vancouver International Mail Centre intercepted a suspicious package intended for a Saskatoon address and discovered two gun barrels and two overcapacity 9mm magazines prohibited in Canada, police said in a news release on Tuesday.
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“The items were packaged as a commonly used construction tool along with other firearm parts, shipped from the United States.”
Officers seized the shipment and contacted the Canada Border Services Agency’s investigations unit in Regina.
On Sept. 8, the case was referred to Saskatoon city police, whose guns and gangs unit continued the investigation. A search warrant was executed in the 2500 block of Albert Avenue by members of the unit and the National Weapons Enforcement Support Team. They found a loaded, sawed-off .22 calibre rifle and ammunition.
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Police also seized two 15-round capacity magazines, an 83mm barrel, a 102mm barrel, the sawed-off rifle, ammunition and bear spray.
“Saskatoon, like many other communities across the country, has seen an increase in the number of firearms tied to criminal activity,” Deputy Chief Randy Huisman said in the news release.
“Partnerships with agencies like the CBSA give police a greater opportunity to be proactive in removing these firearms from the community.”
A 16-year-old was arrested at the scene of the search. He is charged with three counts of importing a prohibited device to Canada and one count each of careless use or storage of a firearm, possession of a prohibited or restricted firearm with ammunition, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, carrying a concealed weapon and unauthorized possession of a firearm.
He was released on conditions and the investigation is ongoing, police said.
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