With nearly 12,000 vehicles passing through the Canadian port of entry at North Portal in August, there were several incidents involving travellers and Canada Border Services Agency personnel that ended in refusal of entry into Canada or fines and other penalties.
There were other events reported at several other border points, as noted by CBSA officials in a recent media release.
Some of the highlighted events at North Portal in August included a male traveller from Kentucky who attempted to enter Canada on Aug. 1 in an attempt to deliver goods to northern Alberta.
Background checks on the driver revealed two convictions for manslaughter and murder. He was refused entry into Canada and was returned to the United States.
On Aug. 2, a woman importing six puppies provided false receipts to CBSA officers, who learned the dogs were sold for $800 each, and they found the original receipts hidden in the vehicle.
When asked why she had not declared the true value, the woman told officers she didn't have enough money to pay the GST, so had attempted to undervalue her purchase. She was issued a $900 penalty in place of the $200 she would have normally paid for the GST.
On Aug. 2, another woman importing a puppy also provided a false receipt for $500. CBSA officers found evidence that puppies from the same breeder were being sold for $1,500. The woman then said she was tired and had made an error. Her fatigue and lapse of memory caused her a $600 penalty, as opposed to the $75 in GST that she would have paid if she had been truthful.
On Aug. 4, CBSA detector dog Holly and her handler conducted a routine patrol of the port during the day and during her travels, Holly indicated some contraband in one vehicle waiting in the queue.
CBSA officers referred the vehicle for a check for possible narcotics and during the search of the vehicle they uncovered trace amounts of suspected marijuana and what was believed to be a pipe bomb in a duffel bag in the truck. Officers then secured the perimeter around the search area and the traveller was arrested and detained pending the arrival of the RCMP, who then detonated the device. The driver was turned over to police and his case went before the courts.
On Aug. 5, a commercial driver was denied entry for a conspiracy to traffic conviction in his past record. He returned to the U.S.
CBSA officers conducted an extensive search of a vehicle on Aug. 7 and found prohibited firearm parts concealed within the vehicle. CBSA officers seized a 30-round ammunition magazine for a .223 calibre handgun, and a 50-round magazine for a .22 calibre pistol. Charges were pending as of late August.
On Aug. 8, CBS officers seized some suspected child pornography from an Illinois man after they had referred the man and his truck and trailer for a routine examination. Inside the trailer the officers found a CD containing suspected child pornography, so they seized 75 CDs and seven electronic devices as evidence. The man was arrested and turned over to the RCMP.
A commercial driver from Georgia was refused entry into Canada on Aug. 9. CBSA officers found he had been convicted of vehicular homicide in the past, so he was returned to the U.S.
On Aug. 13, officers seized a variety of prohibited weapons concealed in a vehicle and a motorhome. The items included two switchblade knives in the centre console of the truck, a Taser still in its box hidden in a First-Aid kit and two butterfly knives in a dresser drawer in the motorhome. While searching for the weapons, CBSA officers also found undeclared tobacco, alcohol and fireworks. All the prohibited goods were seized and the owner-operator of the unit was issued a $2,850 penalty.
A foreign national arrived at the North Portal entry port on Aug. 20, looking to renew a work permit. A background check revealed the man's work permit expired in June and cursory checks in his vehicle provided documents proving that he was still working. He was issued a removal order for working without authorization and his departure from Canada was confirmed on Aug. 23. He is now barred from returning to Canada for one year.
On Aug. 28, CBSA officers refused entry to a commercial driver from Florida after background checks indicated he had been convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol and reckless driving resulting in death.
Traffic at the Estevan Highway port of entry was also quite busy in August and there were a couple of highlighted incidents noted there as well.
On Aug. 11, a California man working in North Dakota sought entry into Estevan, but a background check showed he had been convicted of assault twice, so he was refused entry and returned to the U.S.
On Aug. 21, two men from North Dakota were seeking entry to visit Estevan through the Highway port when their background checks showed that both had been convicted of assault. The two were advised on how to re-apply for entry in the future and then returned to the U.S.
At the Torquay port of entry, a Minnesota man who wanted to visit in Canada on Aug. 1 was refused entry due to a DUI charge and for being in possession of a firearm.
On Aug. 8, a pair of foreign nationals appeared at the Torquay port with no identification and no temporary resident visas that would allow them to enter Canada. They told CBSA officers they weren't really seeking entry, they just wanted to set foot on Canadian soil and to take some photos since they had never been that close to Canada before. They were refused entry and returned to the U.S.
At the Oungre port of entry, CBSA officers refused entry to a resident of Maine who was attempting to travel to Alaska through Canada on Aug. 20. Background checks revealed the man had two previous DUI convictions and a drug trafficking conviction.
Officers explained the process he needed to follow to apply for re-entry, but he stated he would not attempt to enter Canada again. However, two days later, the man appeared at a border crossing in British Columbia and was refused entry again.
On Aug. 23, two men were refused entry into Canada in two separate incidents that occurred at the Oungre port. One man was seeking a study permit that would allow him to attend a university in Canada, but he was found to be inadmissible due to a robbery and DUI conviction. The second man was refused entry since he was still on probation following a recent assault conviction.
Both men were returned to the U.S.
