The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) is pleased to share a sample of March 2014 highlights from its land border crossings in Manitoba. This sampling underscores the CBSA’s commitment to keeping communities safe and ensuring our laws are respected.
Brass knuckle purses seized by CBSA in Winnipeg on Mach 25, 2014.
At the CBSA land borders across Manitoba, officers processed 134,400 travellers in 51,000 cars and 25,300 commercial trucks last month. They issued 81 work permits and 4 study permits and processed 249 new immigrants. They also made 17 seizures and issued total penalties of $7,500 for undeclared goods and smuggling contraband. At Emerson, the busiest port in southern Manitoba, officers also denied entry to 69 people, including travellers with serious criminality.
Here are some additional highlights demonstrating how CBSA officers in Manitoba are working to protect the safety and security of Canadians.
Emerson West Lynne
On March 7, a 42-year-old Texas man was refused entry after officers determined that he was moving to Canada without proper documentation to live or work in Canada.
On March 9, CBSA officers seized 14 kg of marijuana from a Missouri man, who missed a turn and ended up at the port of entry. Once the drugs were seized, both, the man and his passenger were refused entry for pervious criminality. They were returned to the U.S.
The same day, officers interviewed a 31-year-old truck driver from Louisiana who was coming to Canada to start a new life. In addition to the fact that he did not have authority to live or work in Canada, he had multiple convictions for criminal trespassing, disturbing the peace, aggravated assault and carrying a concealed weapon. He was refused entry and returned to the U.S.
Also on March 9, officers refused entry to a Minnesota man who had previous convictions for unauthorized possession of a firearm and possession of a prohibited weapon. He returned to the U.S.
On March 11, a Winnipeg man was issued a penalty of almost $200 after he picked up a DVD box set and some car parts at a post office box in the United States, but only declared the DVDs. The total value of the undeclared car parts was nearly $500. Had he made a truthful declaration, he would have only paid $25 in goods and services tax (GST).
On March 11, officers seized 11 grams of marijuana from a 52-year-old passenger of a commercial truck driver. The woman was issued a $220 fine, and she and the driver returned to the United States.
On March 12, a Winnipeg man declared $3300 in repairs and maintenance to his vehicle. When officers verified his declaration, they found almost $2,000 in parcels addressed to another individual inside the vehicle. These parcels were not part of the man’s initial declaration. The man was assessed a $480 penalty.
On March 15, a 41-year-old man was refused entry into Canada after background checks by the officer revealed two previous assault convictions as well as a conviction for possession of 35 grams of marijuana.
On March 17, a Winnipeg man declared a boat at $4,500. After a thorough investigation, the officer determined that the man had actually paid $5,500. The man was issued a $609.79 penalty for undervaluing the boat by $1,000, in addition to $585 in GST and provincial sales tax (PST) on his original declaration for a total of almost $1200. Had he made an honest declaration, he would have paid a total of $715 in GST and PST.
On March 22, a couple was returning from a day shopping trip in the United States and declared no purchases. When officers searched their car, they found six undeclared cartons of cigarettes. A further investigation by the officer determined that the couple had purchased a diamond ring in the United States valued at $6,400 that they failed to declare. Officers seized the cigarettes, the ring and the couple’s vehicle, and returned the ring and the vehicle once a $5,645 penalty was paid. The cigarettes were not returned. Had they made an accurate declaration, they would have paid approximately $1375 in duties and takes on the ring.
Boissevain
On March 9, a Manitoba woman declared a horse she had purchased in the United States at $2,770, even though she had actually paid more than $6,600. Officers seized the horse and returned it to the woman after she paid a $2,100 penalty for its return.
On March 14, officers issued a $500 penalty to a North Dakota woman who had five grams of marijuana hidden in her vehicle. She was refused entry and returned to the U.S. once the penalty was paid.
Goodlands
On March 26, a couple was returning to Canada after a two-month vacation down south. As officers were examining their vehicle, they found 22 bottles of vitamin supplements that had not been declared. The couple was issued a $460 penalty for not declaring the vitamins. Had she made a proper declaration, she would have paid $240 in GST and PST.
Sprague
On March 5, an observant officer noticed new looking tires on the truck of a woman returning to Canada. Officers determined that the tires and other undeclared repairs were done in the United States valued at almost $1,100. The vehicle was seized and returned once a $350 penalty was paid.
Winnipeg Airport quarterly enforcement highlights January to March 2014
The first quarter of 2014 was busy for CBSA operations in Winnipeg. There were 139,400 international travellers at Winnipeg International Airport.
Officers processed 19 landings, issued 365 work permits and 31 study permits. 18 people were refused refused entry, including 5 for criminality. In addition, CBSA officer processed 566,854 courier shipments through Winnipeg.
Here are some additional highlights from January through March 2014:
Travellers:
On January 2, an international student was returning from a vacation in the United States. She failed to declare more than $6,400 in goods including designer luggage, jewelry and clothing. The woman paid a penalty of almost $2,000.
Two days later, a man was returning from a trip to Asia and failed to declare over $500 in clothes and 17 pieces of jewelry valued at more than $2,100. He was issued a penalty of more than $1,200.
The largest penalty was issued on January 5 after a man returning from Africa failed to declare more than $10,000 in jewelry. He was issued a penalty of almost $3,300.
Officers refused entry to a 56-year-old Arizona man on January 10, when they learned he was coming to live in Canada but did not have the means to support himself, or the authority to live or work in the country.
Officers also refused entry to a 24-year-old man on January 22 because he had two burglary convictions in the United States.
On February 21, an international student failed to declare 28 pieces of clothing, including a $500 belt that she was wearing. The total of her undeclared goods were $3,750. She paid over $1,100 in penalties.
On March 8, a couple was returning from visiting family in the United States and failed to declare more than $2,700 in clothing. They were fined more than $800.
Commercial:
There were 15 seizures of prohibited weapons including brass knuckles, switchblades, butterfly knives and two electroshock weapons.
The largest seizure of prohibited weapons was conducted on March 25 when officers seized 24 brass knuckle purses from a couple looking to sell them. They were seized by officers with no terms of release.
There were seven seizures of narcotics including one on February 13 where officers seized 500 pills of steroids valued at $1,000.
On March 18, officers inspected a parcel at a courier warehouse declared as used sporting equipment and valued at $15. Inside the box, officers found new snowboard bindings, and new brand name sunglasses. The total value of the goods was over $300. The importer was assessed a penalty of almost $200.
