Beausejour man sentenced for gun crimes
A Beausejour man has been sentenced to five years in prison after an investigation into illegal gun manufacturing, the Canada Border Services Agency says.
Robert Ripcik, who is in his 50s, was arrested on March 12, 2024. He later pleaded guilty in Selkirk provincial court to three gun charges under the Criminal Code and two offences under the Customs Act.
The CBSA's investigation began when border officers examined a shipment in April 2023 and found items related to the production of firearms without serial numbers. Such weapons are known as ghost guns because the firearms aren't easily traceable.
Mounties searched a rural property near Chatfield in March 2024 and seized guns and a 3D printer, among other items. CBSA officers returned to the property the next month and seized more items.
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