Prosecutions and Seizures

Northern Ontario Region

Sault Ste. Marie Port of Entry monthly enforcement highlights

Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, February 5, 2013 — 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 borders are 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 December 2012, CBSA officers at the Sault Ste. Marie port of entry (POE) processed 110,745 travellers in 72,779 vehicles and cleared 2,977 commercial importations. The POE also processed more than 203 international travellers by bus.

Immigration highlights

In December, officers at the Sault Ste. Marie POE conducted more than 224 immigration interviews resulting in the issuance of 14 visitor records, 13 work permits, nine confirmations of permanent residency and 19 individuals were given the option of voluntarily withdrawing their applications to enter Canada.

On December 2, three U.S. residents arrived at the POE and stated that they were heading to North Carolina after attending a wedding in Michigan. Officers found the routing for this trip suspicious and referred them for a secondary inspection. After conducting background checks, officers discovered that the three travellers each had convictions for several serious offences.

One traveller's convictions included second degree murder, manufacturing cocaine, and possession of a stolen vehicle. Another's included possession of a controlled substance, breaking and entering, larceny, driving while impaired, possession of a firearm by a felon and resisting an officer. The third traveller's convictions included robbery with a dangerous weapon, first degree burglary with a dangerous weapon, first degree kidnapping, possession of cocaine, possession of a firearm by a felon and resisting an officer. All three travellers were deemed inadmissible to Canada for serious criminality and were counselled on how to apply for Individual Rehabilitation at a Canadian Consulate in the United States. They returned to the United States.

On the same day, four U.S. residents arrived at the POE and also stated that they were travelling to North Carolina after attending a wedding in Michigan. Officers referred the travellers for a secondary inspection and discovered that one of the travellers had convictions for assault with a deadly weapon, possession with the intent to sell/deliver cocaine and bank fraud. He was deemed inadmissible to Canada for serious criminality and was counselled on the process to apply for Individual Rehabilitation at a Canadian Consulate in the United States. All four travellers then returned to the United States.

Customs highlights

In December, CBSA officers conducted 5,429 secondary examinations for customs purposes or other government departments, initiated 22 seizure actions for various offences, one arrest for impaired driving, two arrests for suspected marijuana, one arrest for prohibited goods and issued additional written warnings for undeclared or undervalued goods.

On December 10, a commercial importer was selected for a secondary examination.  Upon searching the vehicle, undeclared packages of firearm parts and accessories were found. As some of the items were prohibited, the importer was arrested and the other goods were seized for non-report.  The man, his vehicle and goods were released upon payment of $579.78 while the prohibited goods were kept for destruction. Had all the goods been truthfully declared, he would have paid approximately $41 in taxes and the prohibited goods would have been either held for destruction or the importer would have had the option to return them to the United States. 

On December 18, a returning Canadian resident declared a snowmobile purchased for US$1,000. CBSA officers conducted a thorough search of the vehicle and interviewed the traveller, at which point he admitted that he had paid US$2,400 for the item. The snowmobile and his vehicle were seized for undervaluation and released upon payment of a $757.76 penalty. Had the full amount paid for the snowmobile been truthfully declared, he would have paid approximately $118 in taxes.

Travel Tips

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 http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/travel-voyage/menu-eng.html.

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.

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
Canada Border Services Agency
613-991-1591