Weapons Cache Seized In Chilcotin
Police seize firearms, prohibited devices, and ammunition from Tatla Lake photo courtesy CFSEU-BC
Prince George, BC – Acting on a tip, officers with the RCMP’s Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit in BC have seized a weapons cache and arrested a long-time resident in the small community of Tatla Lake, west of Williams Lake.
Acting on a search warrant, officers raided a rural home located along Highway 20 and discovered 183 firearms – including AR-type rifles, SKS semi-automatic rifles, and handguns – along with prohibited devices, like over-capacity magazines; and tens of thousands of rounds of ammunition.
"Many of these guns are capable of firing rounds that could pass through vehicles, doors, walls, and even body armour," says CFSEU-BC spokesperson, Sergeant Lindsey Houghton. (photo courtesy CFSEU-BC)
"While this seizure is not believed to be tied to gang activity at this time," he says, "it appears these guns and ammunition were destined to be sold to the highest bidder and the fear was, had we not acted immediately, that the guns could eventually make their way into the hands of violent criminals around British Columbia."
Sergeant Houghton says a 63-year-old man has been arrested and is facing numerous firearms and weapons-related charges. The Tatla Lake resident has no criminal record and has been released from custody pending charges from Crown Counsel.
Sergeant Houghton says investigators are now faced with the daunting and time-consuming task of attempting to determine the origin of the guns. Each weapon will be forensically examined.
CFSEU is thanking the RCMP’s Alexis Creek Detachment and the National Weapons Enforcement Support Team for assistance during the investigation, which began following a tip received in early June.
Comments
There could be as much as $75,000 – 100,000 in weapons there, never mind the ammo. This guy a gunsmith or a crackpot?
Hollyyy Crraaapppp !
Taseko…try to be nice out there ….
The Tatla Lake resident has no criminal record
Maybe he liked to collect them?
and the fear was, had we not acted immediately, that the guns could eventually make their way into the hands of violent criminals
Nice. so I could commit a crime, but I haven’t yet.
I could drink and drive as I have a truck and booze at home. Come arrest me?
My grandpa had alot of guns as well at one time. He collected them.
“”Many of these guns are capable of firing rounds that could pass through vehicles, doors, walls, and even body armour,” says CFSEU-BC spokesperson, Sergeant Lindsey Houghton.”
A 22 caliber Cooey can pass through vehicles doors and walls!!!
But lets sensationalize firearms and make them all out to be the villain. After all they load, aim and discharge themselves completely on their own don’t they!
No comment on whether the guy had a PAL or not.
Come on RCMP, lets have it. What was so illegal about the firearms this person had in their possession?
So the guy was a large gun collector that lived hundreds of miles from any town. I will bet if he had a restricted license that almost all of those guns would be legally owned.
What he could be guilty of is over-sized magazines, storage rules, and possibly selling to someone else that wasn’t licensed. If guilty of those offenses that is a separate matter from the quantity of guns owned.
There has been rumors for years of under ground ATCO trailers full of automatic weapons smuggled into the Williams Lake region from the US by some of the more militant bands… now if they could ever find those illegal weapons cashes that would be a great find.
I Remember the huge cache of “American” weapons seized in Topley a few years back.
Global news reports that he was selling to anyone with cash That’s how he was caught in the 1st place. Selling to undercover police buying the guns with cash. “Maybe he liked to collect them” haha
Never mind the guns. What was this guy doing with tens of thousands of rounds of ammo? Maybe trying to re-enact an old JOHN Wayne movie. Yea right!!!! This guy isn’t the only one in the north with this kind of fire power.(rumour only???)
A lot of gun enthusiasts have a lot of ammunition. Ammunition is used while enjoying the sport. Tens of thousands is a problem why exactly? What would you prefer 20 rounds per person per year?
Looks to me that someone should yell, “Cleanup in aisle six!”
To the RCMP: good catch, good job, good riddance! Fewer guns on the street.
“Sergeant Houghton says a 63-year-old man has been arrested and is facing numerous firearms and weapons-related charges”
Yup, sounds like a run of the mill law abiding gun collector . . .
That seizure may have been his retirement. Now the old fellow won’t have any way to pay for his living.
AR type … so they are AR look alikes but not actually AR upper and lower receivers (Perfectly legal) SKS semi autos, Perfectly legal , can go into a News 250 advertiser today and buy one for under 300 bucks with a PAL. Handguns … restricted but not prohibited … I fail to see what laws have been broken here other than some over Cap magazines … there is no law as to how much ammo a person can have.
“Fricken Bedwetting liberals … OMG .. he owns a Gun or 10 he is evil”
If he was selling to non licenced types then I understand the seizure but the story is written that his guns were seized because he owned alot of them
“If he was selling to non licenced types then I understand the seizure but the story is written that his guns were seized because he owned alot of them”
You think he was charged under the law that says “you have too many guns”? GET REAL, LOL.
I wonder how many he bought / sold over the years. AR Style rifles “we all now that the best moose weapon…” SKS you bet I know a few folks that have them legal for sure. I wonder if the 63 year knows who the rat is that cost him a chunk of change on speculation he we going to sell them to Joe Blow. Now I’m thinking to myself, how many rifles are you allowed to have even if you buy them legal before you over the limit. As far as I know you do need register them anymore.
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