DALLAS — The U.S. and Canada share a 5,500-mile border. While trade and immigration have been longstanding concerns, a new and alarming challenge has emerged: a surge in firearms being smuggled from the U.S. into Canada.

Canadian authorities report a significant increase in the illegal flow of U.S.-made weapons, which they said are linked to much of the gun violence in their country. 

“There’s a variety of smuggling techniques that are used,” said Superintendent Steve Watts, head of the Integrated Guns and Gangs Task Force for Toronto Police, during a news conference. The methods include land crossings, smuggling by plane, trucks and even across waterways.

Deputy Chief Alvaro Almeida of the York Regional Police Services echoed these c oncerns. “The proliferation of illegal guns in our communities is alarming, and we are all battling the same challenges — illegal guns coming from the United States.”

Chief Bill Fordy of the Niagara Regional Police told WFAA that U.S. guns have been linked to crimes throughout Ontario. “The last set of data we had was that 90 percent of crime guns in Ontario where I police are from the United States,” Fordy said.

Canadian authorities have traced more than 21,000 firearms used in crimes back to the U.S., according to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). The consequences have been deadly.

“As you know, there’s many forms of gun violence, and because guns are so lethal, it very frequently results in the death or severe injury of the person shot,” said Dr. Najma Ahmed of Canadian Doctors for Protection from Guns. Her group advocates for stricter gun laws, while working to curtail the smuggling of illegal firearms across the border.

One tragic case was the murder of 18-year-old Jeremy Cook, who was killed with a weapon that Canadian law enforcement said was purchased in the U.S.

“I think we need to find where these guns are coming from, how they are getting into our country. They have blood on their hands too,” said Jeremy’s mother, Melissa, speaking to a Canadian TV station.

In 2023, Toronto police uncovered a shocking case of smuggling during “Project Moneypenny.” Officers found suitcases full of firearms disguised as Christmas gifts in the trunk of a car. A total of 170 weapons were seized, many traced back to Texas.

“They have seen over the last few years a high proliferation of firearms in Texas — potential market for them to acquire them,” said Jeff Boshek, Special Agent-in-Charge for the ATF in Dallas. Smugglers often buy guns for $500 to $600 in the U.S. and sell them in Canada for $7,000 to $9,000, creating a lucrative illegal market.

One such smuggler, Demontre Hackworth of Dallas, purchased and illegally sold at least 92 firearms, according to federal court records. He pleaded guilty to dealing firearms without a license and served a 21-month prison sentence. 

“Of the guns Mr. Hackworth allegedly purchased, [many] have been recovered in incidents and crimes across the United States and Canada,” said U.S. Attorney Chad Meacham.

Gun smuggling intensified after Canada’s deadliest mass shooting in 2020, where 22 people were killed in Nova Scotia. In response, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau banned 1,500 models of military-style assault weapons and implemented a freeze on handgun sales in 2022.

However, Canadian leaders stress that domestic laws alone cannot solve the issue.

“So, we are trying to stem the availability of highly lethal weapons that could be domestically bought, but also trying to address the issue of illegal importation or smuggling of firearms across the Canada-U.S. border,” Dr. Ahmed said.

The issue extends beyond Canada. An ATF study estimated that 200,000 firearms are trafficked annually from the U.S. into Mexico, where many are used by drug cartels against the Mexican military.

“These are weapons of war, and they’re designed to kill and maim as many people as quickly as possible,” Dr. Ahmed said.

Both Canada and Mexico have increased pressure on the U.S. to act.

In 2021, Mexico filed a $10 billion lawsuit against eight U.S. gun manufacturers, accusing them of fueling weapons trafficking and violence. Mexico alleged the companies knew weapons were being sold to traffickers who smuggled them into Mexico and decided to cash in on that market.

The Mexican government has estimated that 70 to 90 percent of the weapons recovered at crime scenes in Mexico came from the United States. In their lawsuit, Mexican officials claimed that due to strict gun control laws, it’s “virtually impossible” for criminals to obtain firearms legally. The suit said the country has a single gun store that issues fewer than 50 permits a year, yet Mexico has the third-most gun-related violence homicides in the world.  

However, gun manufacturer defendants have argued that “Mexico’s suit has no business in an American court.” They claimed Mexico has failed to show the industry has purposely done anything to allow the weapons to be used by drug cartels. The gunmakers alleged the Mexican government has tried to “bully” them into adopting gun-control measures that “have been repeatedly rejected by American voters.”

The case has been scheduled to go before the U.S. Supreme Court in March to determine if the Mexican government has legal standing to sue the U.S. gun manufacturers. The Justices will consider if the suit can overcome a 2005 law that gives gunmakers broad immunity.

There have been multiple lawsuits filed against gun manufacturers in Canada, including a class action lawsuit following a 2018 mass shooting in Toronto. An Ontario Superior Court, however, last year refused to certify the class action against the handgun manufacturer. 

DALLAS — The U.S. and Canada share a 5,500-mile border. While trade and immigration have been longstanding concerns, a new and alarming challenge has emerged: a surge in firearms being smuggled from the U.S. into Canada.

Canadian authorities report a significant increase in the illegal flow of U.S.-made weapons, which they said are linked to much of the gun violence in their country. 

“There’s a variety of smuggling techniques that are used,” said Superintendent Steve Watts, head of the Integrated Guns and Gangs Task Force for Toronto Police, during a news conference. The methods include land crossings, smuggling by plane, trucks and even across waterways.

Deputy Chief Alvaro Almeida of the York Regional Police Services echoed these c oncerns. “The proliferation of illegal guns in our communities is alarming, and we are all battling the same challenges — illegal guns coming from the United States.”

Chief Bill Fordy of the Niagara Regional Police told WFAA that U.S. guns have been linked to crimes throughout Ontario. “The last set of data we had was that 90 percent of crime guns in Ontario where I police are from the United States,” Fordy said.

Canadian authorities have traced more than 21,000 firearms used in crimes back to the U.S., according to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). The consequences have been deadly.

“As you know, there’s many forms of gun violence, and because guns are so lethal, it very frequently results in the death or severe injury of the person shot,” said Dr. Najma Ahmed of Canadian Doctors for Protection from Guns. Her group advocates for stricter gun laws, while working to curtail the smuggling of illegal firearms across the border.

One tragic case was the murder of 18-year-old Jeremy Cook, who was killed with a weapon that Canadian law enforcement said was purchased in the U.S.

“I think we need to find where these guns are coming from, how they are getting into our country. They have blood on their hands too,” said Jeremy’s mother, Melissa, speaking to a Canadian TV station.

In 2023, Toronto police uncovered a shocking case of smuggling during “Project Moneypenny.” Officers found suitcases full of firearms disguised as Christmas gifts in the trunk of a car. A total of 170 weapons were seized, many traced back to Texas.

“They have seen over the last few years a high proliferation of firearms in Texas — potential market for them to acquire them,” said Jeff Boshek, Special Agent-in-Charge for the ATF in Dallas. Smugglers often buy guns for $500 to $600 in the U.S. and sell them in Canada for $7,000 to $9,000, creating a lucrative illegal market.

One such smuggler, Demontre Hackworth of Dallas, purchased and illegally sold at least 92 firearms, according to federal court records. He pleaded guilty to dealing firearms without a license and served a 21-month prison sentence. 

“Of the guns Mr. Hackworth allegedly purchased, [many] have been recovered in incidents and crimes across the United States and Canada,” said U.S. Attorney Chad Meacham.

Gun smuggling intensified after Canada’s deadliest mass shooting in 2020, where 22 people were killed in Nova Scotia. In response, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau banned 1,500 models of military-style assault weapons and implemented a freeze on handgun sales in 2022.

However, Canadian leaders stress that domestic laws alone cannot solve the issue.

“So, we are trying to stem the availability of highly lethal weapons that could be domestically bought, but also trying to address the issue of illegal importation or smuggling of firearms across the Canada-U.S. border,” Dr. Ahmed said.

The issue extends beyond Canada. An ATF study estimated that 200,000 firearms are trafficked annually from the U.S. into Mexico, where many are used by drug cartels against the Mexican military.

“These are weapons of war, and they’re designed to kill and maim as many people as quickly as possible,” Dr. Ahmed said.

Both Canada and Mexico have increased pressure on the U.S. to act.

In 2021, Mexico filed a $10 billion lawsuit against eight U.S. gun manufacturers, accusing them of fueling weapons trafficking and violence. Mexico alleged the companies knew weapons were being sold to traffickers who smuggled them into Mexico and decided to cash in on that market.

The Mexican government has estimated that 70 to 90 percent of the weapons recovered at crime scenes in Mexico came from the United States. In their lawsuit, Mexican officials claimed that due to strict gun control laws, it’s “virtually impossible” for criminals to obtain firearms legally. The suit said the country has a single gun store that issues fewer than 50 permits a year, yet Mexico has the third-most gun-related violence homicides in the world.  

However, gun manufacturer defendants have argued that “Mexico’s suit has no business in an American court.” They claimed Mexico has failed to show the industry has purposely done anything to allow the weapons to be used by drug cartels. The gunmakers alleged the Mexican government has tried to “bully” them into adopting gun-control measures that “have been repeatedly rejected by American voters.”

The case has been scheduled to go before the U.S. Supreme Court in March to determine if the Mexican government has legal standing to sue the U.S. gun manufacturers. The Justices will consider if the suit can overcome a 2005 law that gives gunmakers broad immunity.

There have been multiple lawsuits filed against gun manufacturers in Canada, including a class action lawsuit following a 2018 mass shooting in Toronto. An Ontario Superior Court, however, last year refused to certify the class action against the handgun manufacturer.