Traffic stop in Waterloo ends with seizure of 200+ guns
Waterloo Regional Police have seized over 200 firearms as part of a weapons investigation that began in Waterloo.
Police said Direct Action Response Team (DART) officers stopped a vehicle for a traffic violation Friday night around 7:20 p.m. in the area of Weber Street North and Bridgeport Road East.
"The DART officers were on proactive patrol as part of Safe Semester, a yearly project to promote the safety and wellbeing of university and college students in the region," police told CTV News in an email.
According to police, during the traffic stop officers noticed firearms and ammunition inside the vehicle.
"Officers approached the vehicle and as they approached, they observed several rounds of ammunition scattered throughout the vehicle as well as the barrel of a firearm was pointing in the direction of the officers that was located in the front seat of the vehicle," said Const. Brad Hickey of Waterloo Regional Police.
The driver, a 39-year-old man from Guelph, was arrested and charged with careless use of a firearms and transport firearm or restricted weapon. 17 firearms were seized from the vehicle.
A large quantity of ammunition, magazines, and firearm parts were also seized at the residence in Guelph on Sept. 7, 2024. (WRPS)
"Are they for sale? Is he a firearms trafficker? Or is he just a gun owner that wants to move them to another location and safely store them? I mean, there's all kinds of options there," said CTV News Public Safety Analyst, Chris Lewis.
As part of the ongoing investigation, police completed a search warrant at a home on Victoria Road North in Guelph Saturday.
“Investigators seized 156 improperly stored firearms and an additional 60 firearms under public safety provisions of the Criminal Code. A large quantity of ammunition, magazines, and firearm parts were also seized,” police said in a media release Sunday.
Additional firearms storage and handling charges are pending, police said.
"It would appear by the charges that have been laid to some of them that perhaps the restricted weapons were never properly registered, so there's a couple of different violations that may have occured here," said Lewis. "But anyone that would own 200 guns, I mean that kind of scares me in itself. It just doesn't make sense to the average gun owner."
"The investigation is ongoing and we're encouraging anyone, any members of the public who have any information to please contact police or Crime Stoppers," added Hickey.
- With reporting by Krista Sharpe
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'It went horribly wrong': DNA analysis sheds light on lost Arctic expedition's grisly end
Archaeologists have identified the cannibalized remains of a senior officer who perished during an ill-fated 19th century Arctic expedition, offering insight into its lost crew's tragic and grisly final days.
Missing father, kids spotted in New Zealand wilderness 3 years after disappearance: police
A New Zealand man who disappeared with his three children in 2021 was spotted on a farm along the country's northwest coast, police say.
Common heart conditions raise the risk of dementia, experts say
If you are one of the millions with heart disease, you have a higher risk for future dementia, according to the American Heart Association.
Partial remains of British climber believed found 100 years after Everest ascent
The partial remains of a British mountaineer who might -- or might not -- have been one of the first two people to climb Mount Everest are believed to have been found a century after their ascent of the world's highest peak, according to an expedition led by National Geographic.
Winnipeggers arrested after images surface of cats being tortured, killed
Two Winnipeggers have been arrested after images and videos were posted online of animals being tortured and killed.
Al Pacino says being a new dad at 84 is a 'mini miracle'
Al Pacino is enjoying being a late-in-life dad. The legendary actor talked about being a father to a brood, including to 16-month-old Roman with producer Noor Alfallah.
Toronto mother acquitted in death of disabled daughter launches $10.5-million lawsuit against police, city
Cindy Ali, the Toronto mother who was acquitted in the 2011 death of her 16-year-old daughter Cynara after serving more than four years in prison, is suing Toronto police and the city for more than $10 million.
Trudeau tells premiers to start cutting pharmacare deals as soon as possible
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is calling on provinces and territories to start negotiating pharmacare deals as soon as possible, now that the federal legislation to enact the program has become law.
B.C. billionaire posts third large sign criticizing NDP ahead of the election
British Columbia billionaire Chip Wilson has put up yet another billboard message to voters, his third post outside his multimillion-dollar mansion in NDP Leader David Eby's own riding.