A former federal politician has denied engaging in firearms trafficking but has admitted to unlawfully transferring three guns, following the confiscation of hundreds of weapons from his residence in western Manitoba last week. Inky Mark, aged 78, faces a dozen weapons-related charges after authorities seized 439 firearms during a search at his home near Dauphin on July 7, as reported by the RCMP on Monday. The confiscated items included an antique cannon and ammunition.
The charges against Mark include firearms trafficking, possession of a firearm with an altered serial number, and three counts of improper firearms storage, with the possibility of additional charges emerging as the investigation progresses. Law enforcement officials allege that at least three of the firearms discovered at Mark’s residence were trafficked illegally, one had a tampered serial number, and many were inadequately stored.
During an interview with CBC outside his Dauphin home, Mark mentioned that he has been legally collecting firearms since the early 1970s but acknowledged that some of his weapons are now prohibited due to changes in gun legislation over the years. Mark, a former Member of Parliament representing the Dauphin-Swan River-Neepawa constituency, served in various political parties before resigning in 2010 and making an unsuccessful independent bid for re-election in 2015.
Despite the recent legal issues, Mark, who has no prior criminal record, expressed regret for his actions and apologized to the court and the public for the illegal gun transfers. He confirmed that the seized cash found at his residence, amounting to over $300,000, was from property sales in Dauphin and denied any connection to firearms trafficking, admitting to the illegal transfers while emphasizing his status as a firearms collector.
Mark, who spent two days in jail following the seizure, has been released under certain conditions and is scheduled to appear in court next month, where he plans to rely on legal counsel for his defense. The former MP’s political stance, described as anti-Liberal and pro-free speech, was clarified as unrelated to his firearms collection, as he distanced his views from the legal issues surrounding the seized weapons.