A Nanaimo man has been sentenced to five years in prison following a Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) investigation that uncovered a cache of illegal firearms and a significant quantity of drugs.
According to the CBSA, Cody Edward Ranger pleaded guilty in Nanaimo Provincial Court on May 21st to one count of possession for the purpose of trafficking and two counts of unauthorized possession of a loaded prohibited firearm.
In addition to his prison sentence, Ranger received a lifetime firearms ban and was ordered to provide a DNA sample.
The case began in 2022 when border services officers at Vancouver International Airport intercepted three firearm suppressors in separate shipments between August and October.
The interceptions prompted the CBSA’s Pacific Region Criminal Investigations Section to launch a full investigation.
In May 2023, CBSA investigators, supported by the Vancouver Island District RCMP Emergency Response Team, executed search warrants at a Nanaimo residence and on two vehicles.
During the searches, officers seized multiple illegal firearms including two loaded 9mm ghost guns, a loaded prohibited shotgun, and a restricted 9mm rifle with an attached suppressor and readily accessible ammunition.
They also found two non-restricted rifles and nine over-capacity magazines.
In addition to the weapons, the search turned up 335 grams of cocaine, 119 grams of methamphetamine, 15 grams of MDMA, 10 grams of psilocybin, and 22 electronic devices believed to be relevant to the investigation.
Ranger was formally charged in May 2024 with several offences under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act and the Criminal Code of Canada. He remained in custody until his sentencing.
“The Canada Border Services Agency is committed to keeping illegal drugs and prohibited firearms out of our country and away from our communities,” said Nina Patel, CBSA’s Regional Director General for the Pacific Region.
“Our officers and criminal investigators work diligently to secure the border and ensure that those who break the law are held accountable.”
The CBSA urges anyone with information about suspicious cross-border activity to call the Border Watch Line at 1-888-502-9060.
Those with information about criminal activity in general can also contact their local police, the RCMP at 1-800-387-0020, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.
