Inky Mark, a former Conservative Member of Parliament and longtime mayor of Dauphin, faces firearms trafficking charges after a cache of weapons—including an antique cannon—was seized by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
RCMP officers executed two search warrants on July 7 at a residence in Dauphin, following months of investigation into suspected firearms trafficking in the area.
The investigation began in March when the RCMP was notified of charges against Wilfred Kachurowski, 73, who had been charged with felony theft in the United States after a gun was allegedly stolen from a gun show in Minnesota.
Kachurowski was later charged with seven additional offences in Dauphin, including weapons trafficking. While executing a search warrant, RCMP found firearms purchased by a second suspect that had never been lawfully transferred.
The warrants led to a raid that seized 439 firearms and more than $300,000 in cash, including an antique cannon. RCMP expects several weeks to document evidence and determine how many weapons were illegally obtained; at least three firearms are believed to have been trafficked and another had its serial number tampered with.
The illegal trafficking of prohibited weapons poses a serious threat to public safety. RCMP assistant commissioner praised officers for their tireless efforts to bring traffickers to justice.
Police did not disclose a specific motive for the large cache, but noted that Mark is a firearms collector.
Mark, 78, was charged with 12 offences, including firearm trafficking, possession of a firearm with a tampered serial number, possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000, possession of a firearm when knowing it is unauthorized, possession of a restricted weapon with ammunition without a licence, careless use of a firearm, possession of a prohibited device when knowing it is unauthorized, and unsafe storage of firearms. He has been released on a release order.
Mark served as mayor of Dauphin from 1994 and represented Dauphin—Swan River—Marquette as Member of Parliament from 1997 to 2010. He ran as an Independent in the 2015 federal election and finished fourth in the renamed Dauphin—Swan River—Neepawa riding.
