Mission RCMP seize firearms, issue tickets during crackdown on illegal shooting along forest service road

Mission RCMP say officers seized multiple firearms and issued several violation tickets during an enforcement operation targeting illegal recreational shooting along the Lost Creek Forest Service Road area over the June 13–14 weekend.

According to a Mission RCMP release, officers responded to a report on June 13 of people shooting near the 7.5-kilometre marker of the forest service road. Police located five men from Abbotsford and seized five firearms from two 21-year-old gun owners. The pair later received $690 violation tickets for discharging firearms in a designated no-shooting area.

RCMP said officers conducting proactive patrols later encountered two additional groups allegedly engaged in illegal shooting activity. Four firearms were seized from two men from Delta and Surrey, while two shotguns were seized from another group of four men from Surrey and Nova Scotia. Police said members of the latter group told officers they had planned to film a rap video and were unaware of local shooting restrictions.

The following evening, officers responded to another report of gunfire along the Lost Creek Forest Service Road. RCMP stopped two vehicles as they were leaving the area and located a rifle, two shotguns and a prohibited firearm among a group of seven men from Abbotsford. Police said the prohibited firearm was surrendered for destruction, and tickets were issued for illegal shooting and possessing open liquor in vehicles.

Mission RCMP said recreational shooting is prohibited within 400 metres of forest service roads in the Sylvester and Lost Creek area, effectively making most of the region closed to target shooting. Violators can face fines, firearm seizures and potential criminal charges.