Gun Mail Order Op Stopped

Acting on information received from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms & Explosives, police executed the search warrants at residences in the Kingston Rd. & Main St. area and the Yonge St. and Elgin Mills Rd. area.

“We received the information from the ATF in Montana,” said Detective Sergeant Rob DiDanieli.

Officers seized a Kimel Industries AP-9 pistol, two high-capacity magazines, ammunition and a quantity of cocaine and marijuana.

Amit Yaghoubi-Araghi, 23, of Richmond Hill, and John Coyle, 23, of Toronto, made a court appearance on October 23.

Yaghoubi-Araghi is facing 11 charges, including attempt to import a prohibited device, conspiracy to commit an indictable offence and dangerous driving while Coyle is charged with attempting to import a prohibited device and conspiracy to commit an indictable office.

It’s alleged that the pair were using websites to facilitate the illegal importation of firearms and firearm parts.

DiDanielli alleges that Yaghoubi was the mastermind in the operation.

“He was using an underground website that deals with illegal firearms and ordering the weapons and ammunition that were delivered by mail,” the officer said, of the packages that were not sent to his home address.

Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers were also involved in the joint-forces cross-border investigation.