A Royal Canadian Air Force Major is facing multiple charges relating to undeclared firearms coinciding with his return to Canada after a five-year posting in the United States.
The Canada Border Services Agency’s (CBSA) Firearms Smuggling Enforcement Team (OFSET) announced Wednesday that it has laid multiple firearms charges following an investigation and seizure of various prohibited weapons including handguns, assault rifles, shot guns and ammunition.
The accused is Major Kendrick Barling whose tour of duty in the USA ended in August of this year.
Major Barling’s household goods were shipped through Canadian Forces Base Trenton where numerous undeclared firearms were discovered hidden throughout the shipping containers.
On October 19th, OFSET investigators executed a search warrant at a residence in Kingston, then another on October 23rd, at a residence in Petawawa.
During the searches, 7 handguns, 10 rifles (including assault rifles), 2 shot guns, approximately 45,000 rounds of ammo of varying calibres, and hundreds of magazines that included AR-15 over-capacity clips.
Additionally, multiple firearms had duplicate serial numbers.
As a result, Major Kendrick Barling, has been charged with three Criminal Code offences, two Customs Act offences, and one violation of the Export and Import Permits Act.
The accused is next scheduled to appear in court on December 22nd, 2023.
By Rick Stow
