Edmonton (October 14, 2020) – The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and the Edmonton police laid charges against an Edmonton man, Yuexuan Wu, for allegedly smuggling 1,047 fake Edmonton Transit Service (ETS) bus tickets. On June 26, the CBSA seized a package from China addressed to Wu, which was filled with the counterfeit bus passes worth about $101,500 at the Edmonton International Airport (EIA).
The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and the Edmonton police announced charges against Yuexuan Wu from Edmonton, according to a CBSA press release. He is accused of smuggling numerous fraudulent Edmonton Transit Service (ETS) bus tickets from China.
Fake ETS bus tickets worth about $101,500 seized at Edmonton airport
On June 26 of this year, CBSA commercial operations officers examined a package from China at the Edmonton International Airport (EIA). The package was destined to an Edmonton address and declared as ‘book and business cards’.
The package contained a book and 16 plastic playing cards sleeves with 1,047 ETS adult bus tickets for July. The CBSA seized the package, which had an approximate value of $101,500.
The CBSA criminal investigators further examined the package and discovered that there were also genuine bus tickets in the package. Officers believe that they were used as reference samples for the mass-produced fraudulent ones.
‘The Canada Border Services Agency and the Edmonton Police Service are committed to dismantling criminal organizations in our communities. Charges laid today demonstrate our joint effort to safeguard Canadians and to protect our economy during these difficult times,’ Acting Regional Director General of the CBSA in the Prairie Region, Brad Wozny, pointed out in the statement.
Edmonton man arrested and charged for smuggling
Wu was the intended recipient of the seized package. Hence, Edmonton police arrested and criminally charged the 31-year-old with possession of forged documents and property obtained by crime outside of Canada. The CBSA charged him with smuggling and possession of important prohibited goods.
‘This was an example of excellent cooperation between Edmonton Police and the CBSA that allowed us to stop fraudulent activity right at its entry point into the country,’ stated Const. Jess Bagan from the Edmonton police.
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