An observant member of the public provided a tip on suspicious activity they were witnessing near the shores of the St. Lawrence in November 2021. As a result, an active firearms smuggler has now received an 11-year sentence.
After receiving a call from a concerned citizen, authorities on both sides of the border began an in-depth investigation involving illegal firearms being smuggled into Canada from the US.
On the Canadian side, the Cornwall Regional Task Force intercepted the suspect and arrested him after locating 59 firearms, six of which were fully automatic.
On the American side, US authorities began tracing the origins of many of the firearms. This led to the detection, investigation and disruption of a firearms trafficking cell along the southwest border of the US.
The sharing of information and collaboration with the ATF has led to an investigation targeting the criminal networks responsible for acquiring and trafficking firearms into Canada.
On March 15, 2024, Inti Sebastian Falero-Delgado was sentenced in Cornwall Court to 11 years for various firearms offences, and 6 months consecutive for the Customs Act Offences
We would like to thank US ATF - Dallas, ATF Crime Gun Analysis Team, National Weapons Enforcement Support Team (NWEST), RCMP HQ-Forensic Identification Services (FIS), RCMP O Division Digital Forensic Services, Ministry of the Attorney General (MAG) Guns and Gangs Division, Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), and the Akwesasne Mohawk Police Service (AMPS).
"The successful outcome of this investigation truly underscores the invaluable partnership between the RCMP, its law enforcement partners and our community. Illegal firearms end up in the hands of dangerous criminals. By stopping them at the border, we help make our communities safer." - Etienne Thauvette, Officer-in-charge, O Division Cornwall Detachment.
Fast Facts
The CRTF is a joint task force made up of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), and the Ontario Ministry of Finance. We work closely with our trusted US partners to combat crime on both sides of the border.
Law enforcement agencies work diligently to make our communities a safer place to live but your assistance in remaining vigilant and informing us of any suspicious activities will help us be even more effective. If you have any information related to smuggling, drug importation, trafficking, or possession, or wish to report other criminality, you can contact local police, the RCMP Cornwall Detachment at 613-937-2800, the Ontario RCMP at 1-800-387-0020, the confidential CBSA Border Watch toll-free line at 1-888-502-9060 or anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), at any time.