Prosecutions and Seizures

Northern Ontario Region

Pigeon River port of entry monthly enforcement highlights

Pigeon River, Ontario, July 4, 2012 — The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) facilitates the entry of legitimate travellers and goods, while protecting the safety and security of Canadians and ensuring that Canada's border is not used for illegal activity. This work is carried out by CBSA border services officers (BSOs) who ensure that the people, goods and conveyances entering Canada meet all requirements and are compliant with Canadian law.

In May 2012, CBSA officers at the Pigeon River port of entry (POE) processed 50,957 travellers in 24,990 vehicles, as well as 718 commercial drivers, representing a 6.01 percent decrease in travellers and a 3.33 percent decrease in the number of vehicles processed during the same period last year.

Immigration

In May 2012, CBSA officers at the Pigeon River POE conducted 567 immigration examinations. As a result of the examinations, 44 individuals were issued immigration documents (such as work permits, study permits, temporary resident permits to name but a few) and 19 others were given the option of voluntarily withdrawing their application to enter Canada and were allowed to leave due to criminality or other inadmissibility issues.

On May 3, a U.S. resident arrived at the Pigeon River POE travelling with two Canadian residents. The U.S. resident was referred for an immigration examination. The examining officer discovered during the interview that the individual was convicted of multiple offences in the U.S. She was given the option of voluntarily withdrawing her application to enter Canada and was advised to contact a Canadian Consulate in the U.S. to obtain information on how to overcome her inadmissibility. She returned to the U.S. immediately.

On May 20, three U.S. residents were referred for immigration examinations. During the examinations, officers discovered that one of the individuals had convictions. The individual was reported for his serious criminality and was allowed to withdraw his application to enter Canada after having been counseled on how to overcome his inadmissibility. All three individuals returned to the United States.

Customs

During the month of May, CBSA officers conducted 2,504 secondary examinations for customs purposes or other government departments, initiated nine seizure actions for various offences and issued an additional 18 written warnings for undeclared or undervalued goods.

On May 9, two returning Canadian residents declared same-day absences from Canada. They declared purchases of alcohol and parcels. The primary inspection officer identified verbal indicators of possible non-compliance and referred the travellers to pay duties and taxes on their goods and requested an examination of their vehicle. During the ensuing vehicle examination, officers found two bags of suspected psilocybin, also known as magic mushrooms, in the rear centre console of the pick-up truck. After performing field drug tests on the suspect items, officers arrested the individuals for smuggling suspected narcotics into Canada. The individuals and the psilocybin were then transferred to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police for further investigation.

On May 14, a U.S. resident was seeking temporary entry into Canada. The primary inspection officer noted that the individual's responses were unusual and referred him for further examination. CBSA officers performing the secondary examination found 4.8 grams of suspected synthetic cannabis, packaged as potpourri, and unmarked prescription medication. Officers performed field drug tests to support their suspicion of the prohibited drugs. They seized the suspected narcotics, seized the individual's vehicle, and the individual paid the terms of release for the return of his vehicle, amounting to $440. He was given the option of voluntarily withdrawing his application to enter Canada for committing an offence upon entry and immediately returned to the United States.

On May 18, a U.S. resident was seeking entry to visit the region. The primary inspection officer discovered that the individual had previously been the subject of enforcement action and referred him for a secondary examination. During the examination of the traveller's vehicle, officers found an unloaded large-capacity magazine, believed to fit an AK-47 assault rifle. The individual was subsequently arrested for smuggling prohibited goods into Canada. The magazine was seized with no terms of release and the individual paid $500 for the return of his vehicle as a result of his failure to report the commodity. He was then given the option of voluntarily withdrawing his application to enter Canada for committing an offence upon entry and he returned to the United States.

Travel Tips

The CBSA reminds travellers to truthfully declare all purchases and goods received outside of Canada upon their return. Smuggling, undervaluation and other Customs Act offences may lead to seizure and/or prosecution in a court of law. The CBSA keeps a record of infractions in its computer system. If you have an infraction record, you may have to undergo a more detailed examination on future trips.

After an absence of 24 hours, you may bring back $200 worth of goods duty- and tax-free; after 48 hours, your personal exemption will be $800. There are no exemptions for same-day travel. Alcohol and tobacco can be imported free of duty and taxes only if you have been away at least 48 hours. For amounts allowed and additional information, check www.cbsa.gc.ca/traveltips.

In addition, new regulations are now in place to facilitate the entry of certain foreign nationals who do not meet the requirements to overcome their criminal inadmissibility to be allowed to enter Canada with a one-time only, fee-exempt temporary resident permit. For more information, please visit the Citizenship and Immigration Canada Web site.

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For media information
Caroline Desjarlais
Communications
Canada Border Services Agency
613-991-1591