RCMP Alert: Prohibited Weapons Case Tied to St. John’s Mail Seizure

Community Safety Overview

RCMP Federal Policing – Eastern Region has charged a 38-year-old man from St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador after a cross-provincial investigation that began with the interception of a prohibited device in international mail. The case involves the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), multiple federal statutes, and the seizure of firearms and prohibited weapons from a private residence.

The investigation was triggered in November 2025 when CBSA officers at a national mail processing facility in Mississauga, Ontario stopped a package destined for St. John’s that allegedly contained a device banned under the Criminal Code. Follow-up action by RCMP Federal Policing led to a search of the suspect’s home later that month and, ultimately, to several charges being laid on June 24, 2026.

Official Incident Details

On November 6, 2025, officers with the Canada Border Services Agency at the International Mail Processing Centre in Mississauga, Ontario intercepted a package shipped from outside Canada and addressed to a recipient in St. John’s. The parcel allegedly contained a device that is prohibited under the Criminal Code of Canada. CBSA investigators notified the RCMP Atlantic Serious and Organized Crime unit based in St. John’s.

RCMP Federal Policing – Eastern Region identified the intended recipient as 38-year-old Lee Ballett of St. John’s. On November 20, 2025, RCMP officers executed a search warrant at Ballett’s residence, working in cooperation with CBSA Criminal Investigations and the RCMP Newfoundland and Labrador Emergency Response Team.

During the search, officers located and seized multiple items, including:

• Firearms
• Prohibited devices
• Prohibited weapons (including edged weapons)
• Brass knuckles
• Other associated property

As a result of the investigation, on Wednesday, June 24, 2026, RCMP Federal Policing – Eastern Region laid the following charges against Lee Ballett:

• Unauthorized Importing or Exporting (Criminal Code)
• Unauthorized Possession of a Prohibited Device – two counts (Criminal Code)
• Unauthorized Possession of a Prohibited Weapon – five counts (Criminal Code)
• Possession of a Substance – Schedule III (Controlled Drugs and Substances Act)
• Keeping, Acquiring or Disposing of Goods Illegally Imported (Customs Act)
• Smuggling into Canada (Customs Act)

RCMP Federal Policing publicly acknowledged the assistance of external investigative partners, with particular thanks to the Canada Border Services Agency for its role in detecting the shipment and supporting the broader investigation.

CrimeCanada.ca Safety Perspective

From the perspective of CrimeCanada.ca, this case underscores how weapons and prohibited devices can move through seemingly routine channels such as international mail, posing potential risks to neighbourhoods in Newfoundland and Labrador. Coordinated work between federal agencies—RCMP and CBSA—plays a crucial role in intercepting these items before they reach communities.

While this incident involves St. John’s, the underlying risks are national in scope. Monitoring trends across regions, such as through resources like our crime statistics and safety data for smaller municipalities, helps illustrate how firearms and weapons offences can affect communities of all sizes. Residents are encouraged to report suspicious packages, unexpected deliveries, or signs of weapons trafficking to local police or the RCMP. Community vigilance, combined with proactive enforcement, is essential to reducing the circulation of prohibited devices and keeping homes, workplaces, and public spaces safer across the province.

Official Source & Community Safety

This safety alert is based on an official release from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). CrimeCanada.ca aggregates and analyzes this data to keep the newfoundland-and-labrador community informed, aware, and safe. We are an independent safety data aggregator and not the original creators of the underlying incident report.

Read the full official release here: RCMP Official Statement.