The Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) processed over 43,000 travellers at their two major border ports in southeast Saskatchewan in July.
CBSA officials noted there were a number of incidents that required more than cursory attention by border inspection agents during that period of time, including a July 1 impaired driver who failed an alcohol screen breathalyzer test. He was arrested by CBSA agents and turned over to the RCMP.
A 39-year-old man was refused entry into Canada on July 5 due to a criminal record. The traveller had told border officials he had no criminal history so the false declaration meant he wasn't able to enter the country. The man originally denied the two impaired driving convictions attributed to him, but later admitted to the offences.
A 47-year-old commercial driver was refused entry into Canada on July 7 after his three driving under the influence of alcohol charges were uncovered. The driver was unable to continue his scheduled trip to Edmonton and it was noted that as well as the three DUI convictions, he also had three convictions for assault and one sexual assault charge and conviction.
Another man, a 40-year-old, was denied entry on July 15 when it was discovered he had been convicted of assault as well as impaired driving. The man, who had been on his way to Alaska, was sent back to the United States.
A 28-year-old commercial driver from Michigan was refused entry on July 17 due to a recent conviction for possession of cocaine. The man had been attempting to get to Estevan but was returned to the U.S. instead.
A 22-year-old man travelling to Alberta for work informed CBSA agents he would be staying in Canada for six months. The man had no letter of employment and no work permit and admitted he had worked previously in Canada without authorization. He informed officers he wanted to live in Canada permanently and would be staying with friends, but he was issued a removal order and barred from returning to Canada for one year. Later that night the same man appeared at the port of Coutts, Alberta and informed agents there he was coming into Canada just to visit friends for a month. He was again returned to the U.S. and was counseled to not attempt to enter until he was eligible to do so.
On July 20, CBSA officers seized an undeclared .40 calibre handgun at the North Portal Port. They also seized a loaded magazine and 30 rounds of ammunition from a South Carolina man traveling to Alaska. The man maintained the moving company was to blame for the error, but CBSA officers found the items packed in his personal vehicle in a safe on top of luggage. The firearm and ammunition were seized, he was issued a $1,000 penalty and was subsequently allowed to enter Canada.
On July 22, CBSA officials refused entry to a 35-year-old commercial driver from Wisconsin who had an outstanding charge for a hit-and-run incident. The man insisted the case had been dismissed but court records indicated the matter was still an ongoing item in the justice system.
On July 24, CBSA officers made a significant seizure of suspected child pornography when a 45-year-old Minnesota man was entering Canada to deliver goods. During a secondary examination, officers uncovered numerous photos of suspected child pornography on the man's mobile tablet and located more images on his cellphone. He was arrested and turned over to the RCMP's Integrated Child Exploitation Unit.
On July 30, CBSA officers issued a removal order against a man who misled officers about his intention in Canada. He told officers he was travelling to Alberta and would eventually seek employment, but through further investigation, officers found he had already received an employment offer, and the employer was in the process of obtaining a Labour Market Opinion.
The man stated he would be sharing an apartment with two friends, but officers found out the friends were actually his landlords and that he had placed an online ad looking for roommates to share living expenses. Officers also found messages between the man and a female Canadian friend that stated she would marry him so he could obtain status in Canada.
He was barred from attempting to enter Canada for one year.
Things were no less busy at the Estevan Highway Port in July, with a 39-year-old man being refused entry on July 13 due to a conviction involving conspiracy associated with a theft of $35,000 from his former employer. The man was spoken to about the procedures that he needed to follow to apply for re-entry and was returned to the U.S.
On July 14, a 23-year-old woman informed officers she was moving to Canada and would be living with her Canadian boyfriend and would eventually find work. She admitted she was not aware of requirements she had to meet to enable her to live and work in Canada and since she had no money and no ties to the U.S. She was refused entry and advised on the steps she needed to take to gain entry.
On July 18, a 57-year-old Utah man arrived at the Estevan Highway port with the intentions of driving to Estevan for the afternoon. He was refused entry when background checks revealed he had two reckless driving convictions and one other conviction for assaulting a police officer.
At the Torquay Port on July 10, a 36-year-old man working in North Dakota told a CBSA officer he was coming to Estevan for the day after he had just obtained a passport. He was refused entry though when it was discovered he had convictions for destruction of property and vandalism.
At the Oungre border crossing, a 61-year-old commercial driver from Washington was refused entry when it was discovered he had previous convictions for sexual assault, sexual abuse, theft and possession of marijuana.
Later that same day a 66-year-old South Dakota man in transit to Alaska was denied entry when it was revealed he had been convicted of killing an animal.
On July 18 at the port of Oungre, a 60-year-old Montana man was refused entry after a background check revealed he had been convicted on five counts of human smuggling from Mexico into the U.S. as well as convictions for assault, driving while impaired and a variety of other convictions.
At the Northgate border point, a Saskatchewan couple who declared $1,540 as the price they paid to purchase three purebred pit-bull puppies that had been shipped from Georgia to North Dakota and subsequently into Saskatchewan, were called into question. They were prevented from bringing the puppies into Saskatchewan when the CBSA officer challenged the bill of sale that did not appear to be legitimate and the declared value did not appear consistent for other values placed on purebred puppies. After further questioning the female traveller admitted that the purchase price had been $2,850. That led to an $800 penalty for providing a false bill of sale. A truthful declaration would have resulted in a $285 payment.
CBSA reminds Canadian travellers returning home after visiting the U.S. that they can keep track of wait times at major ports, including North Portal by visiting http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/bwt-taf/menu-eng.html or by subscribing to Border Wait Times on Twitter.
