Beaverton firearm charges have been laid against a 40-year-old Brock Township man after Durham police say officers searched a home and found two rifles, magazines and ammunition.
The Durham Regional Police Service said its Guns and Gangs Unit began investigating in August after receiving information from the Canada Border Services Agency. According to police, the information concerned unregulated firearm parts allegedly being imported from the United States.
Investigators executed a search warrant at a residence in Beaverton on Tuesday, September 1. Police said the suspect was found nearby and arrested without incident.
Police report two rifles seized
Officers reported finding two rifles along with magazines and ammunition inside the residence. Police allege the man did not hold a valid Possession and Acquisition Licence, commonly known as a PAL.
Jason Courtney Birarda, 40, of Brock Township has been charged with two counts of possessing a firearm while knowingly not holding a licence. Durham police said he was held for a bail hearing.
The charges are allegations and have not been proven in court. Police did not announce any additional charges or allege in the release that the seized firearms had been used in another offence.
Investigation began with border-agency information
The police statement identifies the Canada Border Services Agency information as the starting point for the investigation. It does not specify the type or quantity of unregulated parts allegedly imported, when any shipment crossed the border, or whether any of those parts were recovered during the search.
Those distinctions matter because the release confirms only what investigators reported finding during the September 1 search and the two licence-related charges that followed. No court has yet ruled on the allegations.
The case was made public by Durham police on September 9, eight days after the warrant was executed. The Guns and Gangs Unit is continuing to seek information from the public.
Police ask witnesses to contact investigators
Anyone with information connected to the Beaverton firearm investigation can contact the DRPS Guns and Gangs Unit at 1-888-579-1520, extension 5800.
Anonymous tips may be submitted to Durham Regional Crime Stoppers by calling 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or through the organization’s website. Police say tipsters may be eligible for a cash reward.
Residents should not use tip lines for an emergency or an incident requiring an immediate police response. Emergencies should be reported through 911.
