Posted:
Two Halifax men are facing numerous weapons-related charges as a result of an ongoing investigation.
On December 10, officers assigned to the Guns and Gangs Unit of the Integrated Criminal Investigation Division, executed a warrant and searched an apartment and a vehicle in the 300 block of Main Avenue, Halifax. Another search was executed at an address in Lantz on December 12 where additional guns owned by the accused were located. As a result of these searches, officers seized a total of 72 firearms consisting of 34 handguns, 31 rifles and 7 shotguns. Of these 72 firearms, 51 were restricted, and all 62 firearms from the Main Avenue apartment were unsafely stored. Additionally, approximately 10,000 rounds of ammunition were seized.
Two Halifax men, aged 27 and 21, were arrested at the Main Avenue apartment on December 10 without incident. They are scheduled to appear in Halifax Provincial Court on January 20, 2015, to face weapons-related charges including numerous counts of unsafe storage of firearms and unauthorized possession of a firearm.
Based on the investigation, which included involvement of the National Weapons Enforcement Support Team, investigators believe the two men are gun enthusiasts who do not appear to be using the firearms for criminal purposes. However, firearms are only safe to the extent that they are properly stored. The concern is that the loaded and unsafely stored firearms, some of which are extremely high-powered, could have seriously injured someone given that they were not properly secured and/or could have fallen into the wrong hands.
Police remind gun enthusiasts to go beyond the minimum safe storage requirements of the Firearms Act by using multiple layers of security and making it difficult for others to make your firearm operational. This will help ensure firearms do not end up in the hands of people who may use them for a criminal purpose.