Florida woman arrested after Canadian border agents seize 56 illegal weapons

A South Florida woman is accused of trying to smuggle 56 guns into Canada earlier this month, border authorities said.

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Vivian Richards, 48, of Oakland Park, was booked on several charges, including attempting to smuggle, unauthorized possession of a firearm, possession for the purpose of weapons trafficking and making false or deceptive statements, according to a news release from the Canada Border Services Agency.

The charges stem from the agency’s Nov. 1 seizure of a vehicle referred for secondary examination at the Blue Water Bridge port of entry in Point Edward, Ontario, The Detroit News reported.

According to the CBSA news release, officers discovered 56 undeclared prohibited firearms,13 over-capacity magazines, 43 ten-round pistol magazines and 100 rounds of ammunition. The items, which were seized by agents, were located in boxes that were placed in the trunk of the car.

“The Canada Border Services Agency is the first line of defense for our country,” Marco E. L. Mendicino, Canada’s minister of public safety, said in a statement. “The smuggling of firearms is a threat to public safety and this seizure is an example of our steadfast commitment to preventing dangerous criminal activities and keeping Canadians safe.”

Richards is scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday, according to the CBSA release.

The investigation is ongoing, WXYZ reported.

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