Assault rifles, grenade launcher seized
May 15, 2008 - 04:18 PM
By Jeff Mitchell
BOWMANVILLE -- A Bowmanville man faces dozens of charges after a months-long investigation into the illegal importation of weapons -- including assault rifles and a grenade launcher -- from the United States into Canada.
Officers with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) raided a Bowmanville home Wednesday with the assistance of Durham police, arresting a resident and capping a 16-month investigation.
RCMP Corporal Marc LaPorte said the lengthy probe uncovered an operation in which a suspect bought and imported guns and ammunition from American arms dealers, apparently with the goal of reselling them here. Guns -- including 21 assault rifles, a handgun, a rifle, a shotgun and the grenade launcher, as well as thousands of rounds of ammunition and prohibited high-capacity magazines -- were intercepted by officers working undercover during the operation, he said.
The investigation took in excess of a year as officers tracked down the weapons at their sources in the U.S. to determine if offences were committed south of the border. American law enforcement as well as Canadian and U.S. border patrol authorities were involved in the investigation.
"Some of these weapons were legal in the U.S. (but) importation of them is illegal," Cpl. LaPorte said.
"As far as we can tell there were no offences (committed) in the U.S."
Cops seized more weapons during Wednesday's raid in Bowmanville and at another location and more charges are possible, Cpl. LaPorte said.
James Wesley Maunder, 28, of Bowmanville faces 76 charges. He appeared in court in Oshawa Thursday and was remanded in custody until May 20, when a date for a special bail court hearing is to be set.
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