Firearms Seizure Made in Connection to B.C.’s “Dr. Frankenstein”

Fort McMurray… A 29-year-old Fort McMurray man was arrested and 13 firearms were seized by Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams (ALERT) in connection to a British Columbia-based weapons trafficker.

The arrest and seizure by ALERT’s Wood Buffalo team was made in connection to a Langley, B.C. man labelled “Dr. Frankenstein of weapons makers”, who was the target of an investigation by Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit of B.C. (CFSEU-BC), United States Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms and Explosives (US ATF).

Read original news release from CFSEU-BC:  http://www.cfseu.bc.ca/en/media-room-blog/188-charges-laid-against-alleged-firearms-trafficker

The B.C. man was suspected of selling gun parts which convert Glock pistols to fully automatic and silencers via the internet. One of the alleged buyers was Travis Saunders, a 29-year-old man from Fort McMurray, who was arrested on August 19th with the assistance of Wood Buffalo RCMP members. A search warrant executed at Saunders home led to the recovery of an illegally modified, fully automatic Glock handgun in addition to an arsenal of other firearms and ammunition.   

“The modified Glock is a highly dangerous weapon with a rate of fire of 1,200 rounds per minute. This seizure should come as a relief to the community and further demonstrates the working relationship ALERT has with our policing partners across the province, in B.C. and the United States to protect the safety of Albertans,” said Insp. Gary Peck.   

The firearms seized from Saunders home included:  

• Fully automatic Glock 17 handgun; 
• Tikka T3 rifle; 
• Bushmaster Carbon 15 rifle; 
• Savage Arms assault rifle; 
• Two handguns; 
• Five rifles; 
• Two shotguns; 
• More than 3,000 rounds of shotgun, rifle, and pistol ammunition.  

Three young children were inside the home at the time of the search warrant and the majority of the firearms seized were illegally stored. Saunders was the licensed owner of the firearms.  

Saunders faces numerous weapons-related charges, including:

• possession of a prohibited firearm;
• possession of a prohibited firearm with readily available ammunition;
• altering a firearm to discharge a projectile in rapid succession;
• possession of a prohibited device;
• unsecure storage of a non-restricted firearm (x 2);
• unsecure storage of a restricted firearm.  

ALERT was established and is funded by the Alberta Government and is a compilation of the province’s most sophisticated law enforcement resources committed to tackling serious and organized crime. Nearly 400 municipal police, RCMP, and sheriffs work in ALERT.