On August 24, a commercial truck arrived at the port of entry in Lansdowne, Ontario. The driver claimed that he had mistakenly crossed the border at the direction of his GPS. After Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officers directed him to secondary inspection, their search of the truck cabin found 3 grams of methamphetamines and a loaded and readied 9mm pistol hidden inside a stereo.
The pistol has been confirmed as stolen, and further investigation is underway. The driver was revealed to have an extensive criminal record with a history of violent crimes in the United States, where he is alleged to have ties to street gangs in Georgia and Tennessee.
The RCMP is committed to working with our partners to protect our communities. Our collaboration with the CBSA continues to provide positive results for Canada.
The RCMP has charged Cedrick Cunningham (42) with a number of offences:
- Possession of Property (Firearm) obtained by crime contrary to s.354 Criminal Code
- Careless storage of a firearm contrary to s.86(1)(2) of the Criminal Code
- Unauthorized possession of a firearm contrary to s.91 of the Criminal Code
- Possession of a Prohibited Firearm contrary to s.95(1) of the Criminal Code
- Possession of a weapon obtained by the commission of an offence contrary to s.96(1) of the Criminal Code
- Unauthorized possession of a firearm in a motor vehicle contrary to s.94(1) of the Criminal Code
- Unauthorized possession of a prohibited device (over capacity magazine) contrary to s.92(2) of the Criminal Code
- Unauthorized importation of a firearm contrary to s.104(1) of the Criminal Code
- Possession of Methamphetamine contrary to s.4(1) of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act
- Importation of Methamphetamine contrary to s.6(1) of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act
Cunningham's next hearing will be on September 6, 2024 at the Kingston Provincial Court House.
"The Kingston RCMP is committed to working with our Law enforcement partners. Credit for this arrest goes to the CBSA staff at the Lansdowne port of entry. Their diligent efforts prevented this individual from freely entering Canada. Illegal firearms are a direct threat to the safety of our communities." – Sergeant Rob Lamont, NCO in Charge, Kingston Detachment, RCMP.
"The safety of Canadians is our top priority. By keeping prohibited firearms and narcotics out of Canada, we protect our communities. This seizure highlights the incredible work of our law enforcement and border officers and the successful partnership between the Canada Border Services Agency and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police." – The Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs
"CBSA officers are vigilant in detecting and intercepting prohibited firearms and harmful substances. We will continue working with the RCMP as we maintain the integrity of our border to keep Canadians safe." – Lance G. Markell, Acting Regional Director General, Northern Ontario Region, CBSA
Fast facts
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 Kingston Detachment at 613-384-7201, 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.