A man has been sentenced to two and a half years in prison after authorities say he pleaded guilty to sneaking into Canada with a loaded, prohibited handgun. Federal RCMP officers were notified by U.S. authorities on Sept. 11, 2025, about a man illegally crossing the border crossing near 183 Street and 0 Avenue in Surrey, B.C. Canadian border enforcement officers responded and arrested the man. Investigators identified him as Jaskaran Banth, who was carrying a loaded handgun later determined to have been stolen in Nevada, the federal RCMP said in a statement Thursday. Banth pleaded guilty this past May to unauthorized importation of a firearm and possession of a loaded prohibited firearm, according to police. He was sentenced on July 3 to two and a half years in prison and was handed a 10-year ban on possessing firearms, authorities said. Staff Sgt. John Korbely says the investigation illustrates the agency’s commitment to securing the borders and keeping illegal firearms out of the country.
