Former Member of Parliament Inky Mark, who was previously arrested on twelve weapons charges, now faces an additional 26 charges following the discovery of 445 firearms and 26.5 kilograms of explosives at his residence in Manitoba. The 78-year-old was rearrested on August 12 as part of an ongoing police investigation.
Mark’s initial arrest occurred during a search of his home near Dauphin, Manitoba, on July 7. At that time, he was charged with 12 weapons-related offenses, including firearms trafficking, possession of a firearm with an altered serial number, unsafe firearms storage, careless use of a firearm, and possession of a prohibited device. Authorities reported seizing 439 guns from his property during the initial search, along with an antique cannon and ammunition.
A recent statement from the RCMP revealed that a total of 445 firearms were confiscated from Mark’s residence, with 295 found to be stored unsafely, 10 classified as prohibited, and 11 identified as restricted or prohibited firearms not registered to Mark. Additionally, authorities discovered 26.5 kilograms of explosives, exceeding the legal possession limit by more than four times.
The latest charges against Mark include weapons trafficking, multiple counts of possessing prohibited weapons with ammunition, and unauthorized possession of firearms. He is also accused of having explosives exceeding the legal limit, mainly Tannerite, which is a type of explosive target used for firearm practice and regulated to a maximum of six kilograms.
Mark admitted to illegally transferring three firearms but denied any involvement in firearms trafficking. He claimed to have legally collected firearms since the 1970s, although changes in gun laws have rendered some of his weapons illegal. During the initial search, over $300,000 in cash was seized, which Mark explained was from property sales and unrelated to firearms trafficking.
The RCMP alleged that Mark unlawfully provided a firearm and ammunition to an unlicensed individual in response to a social media post about a coyote sighting. The weapon was later recovered by authorities, and no charges were laid against the recipient. Mark’s history includes representing the Dauphin-Swan River-Neepawa riding as an MP from 1997 to 2010, with affiliations to various political parties before running unsuccessfully as an independent in 2015. Prior to his parliamentary career, he served as Dauphin’s mayor in 1994.
In total, Mark now faces 38 charges in connection to the weapons and explosives discovered at his residence.
[Source](https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/inky-mark-weapons-charges-9.7321608)