Searches carried out at two apartments in Portneuf’s MRC on Wednesday led to the arrest of a 50-year-old man who appeared on various charges related to firearms trafficking.
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A first residence in Saint-Marc-des-Carrières, including outbuildings, was first searched in the morning. A second home near Saint-Thuribe was searched the same day.
On the spot, officers from the Integrated Arms Trafficking Team (EILTA), made up of members of the Sûreté du Québec and Quebec City Police, made several seizures.
In particular, they discovered 33 firearms, including three handguns and five prohibited weapons, thousands of ammunition of all types, several high-capacity magazines, a crossbow, and sawed-off cannons.
During this operation, which required about twenty workers, Louis Tessier, a 52-year-old man, was arrested. He appeared Wednesday at the Quebec City Courthouse on five counts, namely trafficking in firearms, possession for the purpose of trafficking in firearms, unauthorized possession of a prohibited and restricted firearm and violating a restraining order. He remained in custody.
This is the second time Tessier has been tried on gun charges. In January 2021, he pled not guilty to one count of unauthorized possession of a prohibited or restricted weapon, device or ammunition and three counts of negligent use.
— In collaboration with Dominique Lelièvre