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Jul 30, 2026 4:23 PM - Connect Newsroom - Ramanpreet kaur with files from The Canadian Press

Illegal firearm smuggling through Surrey border crossing leads to jail sentence

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RCMP officers seized a loaded handgun, reported stolen in Nevada, after arresting a man who allegedly crossed illegally into Canada near Surrey in September 2025. (Photo: The Canadian Press)

A man has been sentenced to two and a half years in prison and prohibited from possessing firearms for 10 years after admitting to smuggling a loaded handgun into Canada through the Surrey border area.

According to RCMP Federal Policing Pacific Region Media Relations Officer Cpl. Parmbir Kahlon, the investigation began on Sept. 11, 2025, after the United States Border Patrol notified Canadian authorities that an individual had crossed illegally into Canada near 183 Street and 0 Avenue in Surrey.

The RCMP's Integrated Border Enforcement Team (IBET) responded and arrested Jaskaran Banth under the Customs Act. Investigators recovered a loaded handgun that police said had been stolen in the U.S. state of Nevada.

Court records show Banth pleaded guilty on May 1, 2026. On July 3, 2026, the court sentenced him to two and a half years in custody and imposed a 10-year firearms prohibition.

The case highlights ongoing cross-border enforcement efforts targeting the illegal movement of firearms between the United States and Canada. The investigation was conducted by the RCMP's Integrated Border Enforcement Team in cooperation with U.S. border authorities.

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