Lambton OPP officials allege: 36 illegal firearms have been recovered following a suspected firearms smuggling incident.
In the early hours of October 26, 2023, members of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Border Enforcement Security Task Force (BEST) received information about suspicious activity in the Port Lambton area, near Old River Road.
A personal watercraft (PWC) with two occupants was observed traveling on the St. Clair River, which is located along the Canada and United States border.
With support from members of the Lambton County OPP (Corunna) Satellite Detachment, the OPP Canine Unit, the OPP Emergency Response Team and the Walpole Island Police Service, 36 illegal firearms were located.
Two suspects remain outstanding, as does the PWC.
Officers believe that the suspects may have fled the area on foot.
Investigators are seeking information from the public that may help identify the suspects and locate the PWC.
This investigation is ongoing and further updates will be provided as necessary.
“Illegal firearms pose a serious risk to public safety and are often used by organized crime groups, including street gangs, to commit violent crimes including theft, intimidation, extortion and homicide,” stated Detective Inspector Lee Fulford of the OPP Organized Crime Enforcement Bureau, in a media release.
“Any tip from the public, no matter how small, may be the missing piece that officers need to solve this investigation and to prevent future firearms smuggling incidents.”
The BEST initiative is an assemblage of multi-agency task force teams led by Homeland Security Investigations and was developed as a comprehensive approach to identifying, disrupting and dismantling transnational criminal organizations posing significant threats to border security.
BEST was designed to increase information sharing and collaboration among agencies combatting this threat on both sides of the border.
