CBC found several weapons banned for over-the-counter sale in Canada, be they automatic knives, electric stun guns or brass knuckles, on giant Amazon's Canadian website.
One self-opening knife model even had the best-seller label on Amazon, meaning the item was purchased more than 300 times in the previous month.
The product was presented as a camping knife. Amazon.ca removed it from its website after being contacted by CBC.
It doesn't matter if it's sold as a camping knife, says attorney Daniel Goldbloom. This is a knife whose blade extends at the push of a button and is a prohibited weapon [au Canada].
CBC also found a stun gun on Amazon that was described as a multi-purpose flashlight.
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Amazon.ca also removed this listing for a stun gun that was described as an emergency flashlight.
Photo: Amazon
How can these cases be prevented?
Amazon said via email that it uses the technology specifically to list items that are banned from sale in the country.
In the case of the automatic knife, spokeswoman Barbara Agrait said a supplier had evasively listed the banned product on our platform to circumvent our controls.
The independent seller in question has lost the right to sell their items on Amazon. The company adds that it is contacting law enforcement to destroy any banned products found in any of its warehouses.
Mr. Goldbloom says it's rare in Canada for a company to be taken to court for possessing or trafficking banned weapons. Rather, when there are allegations, it is individuals who are targeted, he said.
The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) does not collect data on the location of sale of banned weapons seized at the border, but says it has laid charges against several people in the past year. In at least two of these cases, the items were shipped from China.
Seizures are increasing
Aaron McCrorie of the CBSA says he is disappointed but not surprised that banned weapons are being displayed online. He adds that he works closely with Amazon and other platforms to prevent illegal goods from being shipped to Canada.
The fact that people can camouflage small items and ship them from overseas is a big challenge for us, he admits.
During the 2022-2023 fiscal year, the CBSA seized 18,359 prohibited weapons (excluding firearms). The agency has seized more than 21,800 so far this year.
Mr. Goldbloom recommends consumers avoid purchasing anything online that resembles a weapon. Ignoring the law is no defense, he said.
Based on information from Nicole Brockbank of CBC News