Guns in Toronto shootout, Hamilton killing linked to U.S. trucker's smuggling scheme (www.cbc.ca)

submitted 4 hours ago by HellsBelle@sh.itjust.works to c/canada@lemmy.ca

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A former trucker from Florida has been sentenced to more than four years in U.S. prison after smuggling handguns into Canada that were later recovered at 10 crime scenes in Ontario and Quebec, and linked to two killings.

Court documents reviewed by CBC News provide a rare glimpse into a cross-border pipeline for crime guns.

The scheme saw U.S. firearms purchased legally, then transported up to 2,000 kilometres north to be re-sold to a Canadian trafficker for the retail price of the gun, plus a $1,000 fee for each weapon.

One of the weapons was found in Toronto after what police described as a "reckless" shootout in November 2024 that they said highlighted the "real and present danger" posed by illegal firearms.

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[-] HellsBelle@sh.itjust.works 1 points 3 hours ago

Not sure how a story about FloridaMan bringing illegal guns into Canada has anything whatsoever to do with your ability to own legal guns.

But you do you I guess.

[-] ArmchairAce1944@lemmy.ca 1 points 11 minutes ago

Have you been paying attention to how fun legislation has transformed so dramatically in the past 6 years since covid?

[-] ikidd@lemmy.world 7 points 2 hours ago

Because every time there's an incident, it's never the thousands of illegal guns pouring over the border that gets the blame, it's somehow legal gun owners that need to pay a new price.

It's like giving more money to cops instead of addressing mental health issues to stop crime. Dog and pony show.

[-] FireRetardant@lemmy.world 5 points 1 hour ago

Its like shutting down legal pharmacies to end an illegal drug trade, thats Canada's attitude towards gun control.

[-] DScratch@sh.itjust.works 9 points 3 hours ago

Because crime is used as a reason to restrict legitimate access to firearms.

Two years ago today, we froze the handgun market and stopped handguns from being bought, sold, or transferred anywhere in Canada.

We choose your safety over the gun lobby — every time.

— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) October 21, 2024

While I do agree there are certain firearms that are higher risk than others, I don’t think stopping legitimate owners and users was the right call to curb crime and improve safety.

[-] ArmchairAce1944@lemmy.ca 1 points 9 minutes ago

The handgun freeze did nothing to keep anyone safe. The gun bans are entirely against shooting sports and legitimate firearm activities (such as collecting).

I demand that Trudeau show one shred of evidence of what he said. Just one.

I am on my phone and I would like to write a long ass rant, but it is going to have to wait.

[-] HellsBelle@sh.itjust.works -4 points 2 hours ago

Well tbh your quote is specifically about handguns, not firearms in general. So no, I don't agree with you at all.

Handguns can be concealed and are often used in robberies and murders. Long guns are usually used for hunting.

[-] ArmchairAce1944@lemmy.ca 1 points 8 minutes ago* (last edited 7 minutes ago)

Legally owned handguns in Canada are and were the rarest type of firearm encountered in crime. More stolen police guns are used for murder and robbery in Canada than privately owned pistols.

Edit: long guns have held the record for worst mass shootings, and banning semi-autos hasn't diminished their deadliness.

[-] FireRetardant@lemmy.world 3 points 1 hour ago

The government recently banned a ton of long guns that were previously legal, in the name of crime prevention and that fact they look scary. The compensation program for the buy back is nearly a lottery, there are not enough funds to refund the expected number of returned firearms.

[-] DScratch@sh.itjust.works 3 points 2 hours ago

The OP is specifically about handguns.

Long guns can be cut down. 20 mins and a hacksaw blade get you a saw-off shotgun. Not quite as pocketable as a small handgun, but very lethal at close range.

[-] ArmchairAce1944@lemmy.ca 1 points 6 minutes ago

You are forgetting that pocket pistols have been prohibited in Canada since the early 90s.

[-] HellsBelle@sh.itjust.works -4 points 2 hours ago

I was referencing this quote ...

Well, we'd better take all my legally owned guns away then.

They generalized guns when the article focused on handguns.

[-] ArmchairAce1944@lemmy.ca 1 points 5 minutes ago

They vanned over 15,000 models of rifle and are now targeting shotguns for future bans. This is despite the fact that the use of shotguns in crime has been diminishing for decades in all places without legislative changes.