A Petrolia man is facing two dozen charges after authorities seized prohibited weapons bound for Canada at the border.
On February 27, members of the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) intercepted a package allegedly destined for an address in Petrolia.
Police said the package contained seven prohibited weapons.
The CBSA's Ontario Firearms Smuggling Enforcement Team (OFSET) notified Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) members assigned to the Border Enforcement Security Task Force (BEST) for further investigation.
On March 19, BEST members, the OPP Provincial Weapons Enforcement Unit, OPP Community Street Crime Unit and CBSA searched a home in Petrolia.
Several weapons were seized including brass knuckles, two automatic opening knives, a brass knuckle knife, a centrifugal opening knife with a thumb stud, a conducted energy weapon, and three butterfly knives.
A 32-year-old Petrolia man is charged with 24 weapons related offences under the Criminal Code (CC) and Customs Act (CA), including possession of a prohibited weapon, unauthorized importation of a prohibited weapon and smuggling prohibited goods into Canada.
In a news release, OPP Chief Superintendent Mike Stoddart of the Organized Crime Enforcement Bureau said the cross-border movement of illegal commodities, including prohibited weapons, continues to threaten the safety of the communities they serve.
"The OPP has an important role in supporting the Canada Border Services Agency and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in maintaining the security and integrity of our borders through combined enforcement and intelligence sharing," said Stoddart. "These partnerships allow for seamless collaboration with the shared goal of combatting cross-border illegal activity. We will continue to deter, detect and disrupt criminal activity in Ontario and beyond."