February was another very busy month at the international border crossing at North Portal, Sask. with 18,807 travellers coming from the United States into Canada at this port-of-entry. The nearly 19,000 people arrived in 5,018 cars and 9,796 commercial trucks at the port, which operates around the clock.
The Estevan Highway port of entry, which has restricted hours, saw 4,450 arrivals into Canada in 2,135 cars and 200 commercial trucks.
Canada Border Services Agency officers refused entry to another 39 people, with 21 of those being denied access to Canada due to previous criminal activities. CBSA officers issued 61 work permits, 10 study permits and granted permanent resident status to another 262 people.
There were 15 seizure actions that resulted in $16,500 in penalties being paid during the month of February.
One man who was denied entry, it was noted, was facing a sentence in North Dakota for domestic violence (strangulation) while his travelling partner was also denied entry due to the fact he did not have appropriate travel documents.
Another man from Georgia was refused entry, at least temporarily, since he attempted to enter Canada on Feb. 6 to continue on to northern Alberta where he would await proper documents that would allow him to work in Canada. The 32-year-old, was, however, planning on working illegally until he secured the documents, so he was refused entry until such time as he secured the proper papers.
On Feb. 7, a 61-year-old Saskatchewan man arrived at North Portal with a recently purchased race car and trailer that he claimed had a combined value of $15,000. The evaluation appeared to be too low for the make and model of the car in question so further investigation revealed that the more correct value would be $30,000 for the two items so the illegal importer ended up paying $9,738 in penalties before he could reclaim the seized vehicles. If the declaration had been made truthfully, the payment would have amounted to about $1,500 for the goods and services tax.
On Feb. 14, a 27-year-old Colorado man encountered some difficulties with CBSA agents when he arrived in North Portal saying he was going to visit his girlfriend for two or three weeks when, in fact, he was intending to move to Canada, and his vehicle was loaded with personal belongings. The man had a job offer from a Canadian company and was awaiting a labour market opinion. The man had no home address in the United States due to the impending move to Canada, so his untruthfulness throughout the examination led to an entry refusal and the man returned to the U.S.
On Feb. 17, another man who had applied for a work permit in Canada, appeared at the border crossing. It was noted that a previous work permit for Canada had expired in August of 2013 but officers learned during their interview that the man had continued to work in Canada without a valid permit. He will not be allowed to seek another work permit for another six months and he was refused entry.
On Feb. 19, a man from Texas arrived at the North Portal station driving a truck and stating he was en-route to Alaska. Officers located six prohibited over-capacity ammunition magazines that he had not declared. The magazines and vehicle were seized and the man ended up paying a $500 penalty before the vehicle was returned, and not the ammunition magazine, and he was allowed to continue his journey through Canada.
A B.C. man re-entering Canada at North Portal on Feb. 24 declared the value of two motorcycles he was importing at $13,500. While verifying the purchase, CBSA officers noticed modifications totaling $9,860 had been made to the motorcycles that hadn't been reported. The motorcycles were seized, and the man paid a $5,425 penalty instead of the $484 in GST that he would have paid if he had gone about the business truthfully.
Another visitor arrived at the North Portal station on Feb. 24 stating he was on his way to Alaska. The 23-year-old Mississippi man, it was learned, had some undeclared parts to a shotgun as well as a cooler of undeclared alcohol including 17 cans of beer, 18 liquor coolers and 1.4 litres of spirits. The alcohol was seized with no terms for their release while the gun parts were seized and then returned once a penalty of $165 had been paid.
On Feb. 25, a commercial truck driver from Oklahoma was refused entry into Canada after it was learned he had previous convictions for burglary, grand larceny, conspiracy to travel interstate while aiding and abetting a racketeering enterprise and for manufacturing
methamphetamines. He was returned to the U.S.
At the Estevan Highway port of entry a North Dakota resident who was intending to visit a friend in Estevan on Feb. 1, was denied entry after it was discovered he had charges laid against him in December of last year for reckless endangerment and terrorizing and discharging a firearm within city limits. These charges had not been dealt with in court so he was refused entry.
On Feb. 22, a 32-year-old man from Texas was denied entry at the Estevan Highway port when an examination of his vehicle revealed an undeclared rifle. The gun was seized.
At the Northgate port of entry on Feb. 1, a 53-year-old Saskatchewan man returning home reported that he was importing various collectibles and household items from the U.S. and stated that he had been away for 48 hours or more so was seeking the $800 personal exemption status. CBSA officers determined the man had been absent for about 24 hours and his attempt at deception left him with a $250 fine, which was paid before the goods that had been seized, were returned.
At the Oungre port of entry on Feb. 17, a 55-year-old Texas man was arrested after officers found two loaded handguns and two over-capacity magazines in his vehicle. The man was turned over to CBSA criminal investigators and on Feb. 21, John Chris blanchard pled guilty in a Regina Provincial Court to smuggling under the Customs Act and was sentenced to time served and a $5,000 fine.
At the Coronach port of entry, a 43-year-old man and his wife sought entry into Saskatchewan on Feb. 28. The husband had numerous outstanding charges including grand theft, two convictions for resisting arrest and possession of a controlled substance. He also had multiple driving under the influence of alcohol convictions in South Dakota. It was noted he also had convictions for assault in Minnesota so he was denied entry, and so both returned to the U.S.
