r/canadaguns • u/Mysterious_Sleep7443 • 29d ago
News / Politics / Activism Crown seeking prison for Windsor gun collector who improperly stored firearms
https://windsorstar.com/news/local-...-who-improperly-stored-firearms#comments-area
The Ontario Court of Justice on Monday, July 6, 2020, in Windsor, ON. (Dan Janisse-The Windsor Star) The Windsor Star
Prosecutors are seeking a five-year prison sentence for a weapons collector who improperly stored more than 20 restricted firearms in his Windsor apartment.
Hengwei Zhong, 31, “abused the privilege” of his firearms license by leaving his handguns unlocked in his bedroom and by attempting to smuggle handgun parts from the U.S. into Canada, assistant Crown attorney Reem Said told court on Tuesday.
“The public depends on individuals who have a government-issued firearm license to follow the rules,” Said told Ontario Court Justice Daniel Topp. “An improper handling or storage of firearms places people at risk and must be denounced by the court.”
Zhong previously pleaded guilty to one federal count of attempting to smuggle prohibited handgun barrels into Canada and eight counts of improper storage of firearms.
According to a summary of facts shared with the Star, CBSA officers seized a parcel at a UPS facility in Windsor on May 8, 2025, that contained two prohibited .38 calibre handgun barrels, a restricted 9 mm calibre semi-automatic handgun barrel and two revolver cylinders. The parcel was addressed to Zhong and had been declared as “auto parts.”
By importing the revolver parts “the accused was carrying out his intention to convert restricted firearms to prohibited firearms and, therefore, attempted to manufacture a firearm,” the facts stated.
Zhong, a citizen of China, holds a firearm license and has 26 registered firearms, court heard.
Following the seizure of the parcel, CBSA investigators and members of the Windsor Police Emergency Services Unit executed a search warrant at Zhong’s Windsor residence on July 17, 2025.
According to the facts, Zhong’s license required that 22 of his firearms be stored at his Windsor residence, but investigators recovered only 19 when the warrant was executed. The three missing handguns were later recovered at a Windsor shop where Zhong had taken them to be refinished.
The 19 handguns recovered were all found in Zhong’s bedroom, but none of them were stored in a locked container and many were not secured with proper locking devices, the facts stated.
Officers also seized 30 drop-in auto sears, a prohibited device used to convert semi-automatic rifles into fully automatic firearms.
According to a news release last September, CBSA said officers had seized 175 magazines, of which 104 were prohibited, and approximately 17,000 rounds of ammunition at the Windsor home.
At the time of his arrest in 2025, Zhong had been working at Tactical Imports Corp., a Canadian retailer of licensed firearms and tactical equipment, on a post-graduate work permit since 2022. Zhong had arrived in Canada in 2019 for graduate studies at the University of Winsor
“Mr. Zhong is not an outlaw or anywhere close to it,” defence lawyer Robert DiPietro Sr. said Tuesday in requesting a monetary penalty of $500 to $1,000 per count in lieu of a sentence behind bars.
DiPietro cited Zhong’s guilty plea and lack of a prior criminal record as mitigating factors.
He added that his client’s employer describes Zhong as “a firearms collector and fascinated with technical aspects of the firearm (who is) skilled at disassembling and reassembling firearms” and a “hardworking, efficient team member who carries his weight.”
Said pushed back against the defence’s position of imposing a fine, arguing that it “cannot possibly satisfy denunciation or deterrence where the offender is actively obtaining, importing, possessing the tools that would either make the weapons that he had more concealable or convert them from semi-automatic to automatic.”
The 30 auo sears seized by the CBSA create “extraordinary risk for the public safety,” she said. “Their sole purpose is the rapid discharge of large volumes of ammunition. That inherent danger of a firearm capable of fully automatic fire cannot be considered a mere regulatory offence.”
Zhong apologized when given the opportunity to speak in court.
“I feel really, really sorry for what I did,” he told Justice Topp. “I absolutely had no intention to cause any harm. I never had the intention to sell my firearms.”
Justice Topp is expected to render a sentencing decision in the fall.
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u/Doctor_Dabmeister 28d ago
I got no love for the Feds but the headline leaves out some important info, the guy is also accused of smuggling gun parts from the US and was caught with 30 auto sears in his house. If anything, he sounds like one of those people contributing to gun violence here by smuggling in shit from the US. I do find it weird that the article mentions his a Chinese citizen, like are they accusing him of being a Chinese spy too lmao?
"According to a summary of facts shared with the Star, CBSA officers seized a parcel at a UPS facility in Windsor on May 8, 2025, that contained two prohibited .38 calibre handgun barrels, a restricted 9 mm calibre semi-automatic handgun barrel and two revolver cylinders. The parcel was addressed to Zhong and had been declared as 'auto parts.'"
"Officers also seized 30 drop-in auto sears, a prohibited device used to convert semi-automatic rifles into fully automatic firearms."
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u/ChonkyDonkDonk 28d ago
The courts, will take risk of deportation as a mitigating factor, and actually reduce the sentence to avoid risk of deportation. It’s really a two tiered system of law that disproportionately punishes citizens and provides more leniency to non-citizens. See the Supreme Court R vs Pham decision in 2013
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u/Teckiiiz 28d ago
30 auto sears with no intention to sell? yea fuckin right bud
this guy is the fucking problem. lock him up
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u/King-Moses666 28d ago
I think the mention of him being a Chinese citizen is just to mention he is not Canadian Born. Lots of people/outlets are looking for any reason to cut immigration drastically. So by mentioning that people like Zhong are citizens in other countries, it allows them to push that many immigrants who come to Canada are criminals and thus the reason for crime rates going up.
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u/RealTurbulentMoose 28d ago
I would say it’s relevant information and that we should deport criminals instead of keeping them here. In this case, said immigrant is a criminal.
Guy came over as a student in 2019. It’s 2026, he’s been previously convicted of smuggling. Now he’s accused of committing a similar crime.
Time to go back home.
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u/King-Moses666 28d ago
To clarify, I am all for deporting criminals and think that we have a lot of issues within Canada we need to sort out. Some of which imo is caused by the mass immigration we could not handle. Plus all the issues that popped up as a result.
The comment I was replying to stated “I find it weird they mentioned he was a Chinese citizen”. So I was simply pointing out why articles like that are pointing out citizenship status. Without injecting my personal views on the matter.
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28d ago
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u/King-Moses666 28d ago
Yea thats grasping at straws and really changing what I wrote a lot.
Stating that lots of people want to reduce immigration levels, is not the same as stating all people who want to reduce immigration levels think a certain way. Lots and All are very different things.
By mentioning why articles such as the one linked may include citizenship status, I am not discrediting the whole article. I am merely stating why a particular fact is relevant within articles.
Which again is not calling all immigrants criminals. It is far from it. I am just stating that we have had a large crime spike, at least according to news outlets, that are involving people who are not Canadian Citizens. Example A being the articles talking about the indian gangs exploiting the student visa program. By pointing out situations like that I am not at all calling all immigrants criminals. Many of my friends and clients are not Canadian born and they are better people than a lot of Canadian born people I have met.
Which again I am not saying it is ok to group an entire group into 1 category. I have a hard time seeing how what I said does that, even with your examples which change my wording a lot.
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u/leyland1989 28d ago edited 28d ago
China doesn't officially allow dual citizenship. Although there's a subset of "Chinese citizens", in particular of Hong Kong origin do not renounce their Chinese Citizenship after becoming Canadian Citizens. (Long story, there are other complications... Hong Kong relies on voluntary self declaration and a lot of people with no connection to China, i.e. born in British Hong Kong and left before the Chinese annexation were automatically granted Chinese Citizenship, etc. but that doesn't apply to Zhong who's from mainland China)
There are also a lot of Chinese Permanent Residents in Canada who choose to keep their Chinese Citizenship for the purpose of visiting China to see their family without the need to apply for a Chinese visa.
Not sure which category Zhong fails into, I wouldn't draw the conclusion this quickly, he could very well be a Chinese Citizen and the article is correct to point that out.
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u/COBETCKNNcoyuz 28d ago
If he was on pgwp and committed a felony you can be sure as hell he isnt getting permanent residency
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u/leyland1989 28d ago edited 28d ago
Not to be pedantic but we don't use the term felony or misdemeanor here in Canada. You're correct that he likely won't be granted permanent residency if he's convicted of a crime and he is subject to deportation if he's not a Canadian citizen even if he has already been granted permanent residency.
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u/King-Moses666 28d ago
To clarify, I am not saying the article is wrong to point it out. I am just stating why the articles point it out.
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u/Curious_Joe2020 28d ago
If he's a Chinese Citizen then he is not a Canadian Citizen. You can't be both.
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u/King-Moses666 28d ago
Never claimed he was a dual citizen. Just simply stated why the article mentioned he was a Chinese Citizen. The comment I replied to “found it weird” that the article mentioned it.
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u/Assistant-Exciting 28d ago edited 28d ago
Meanwhile a criminal handgun smuggler serves house arrest because "Mandatory Minimums are Unconstitutional".
Horse shit.
Edit: thank you for the extra clarification in the replies.
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u/draftstone 28d ago
The guy was caught trying to smuggle guns from the US and to modify firearms into prohibited ones (he had auto-sears). The title makes it seems like he forgot a trigger lock, but he's actually the kind of people who should be locked away if we want to fix the gun problems on the streets.
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u/MidwinterBlue 28d ago
Exactly right. The headline on this story is just rage-bait. He was also caught with the sears used to convert semi-autos to full-auto. This is a bad guy.
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u/yummybunnybear 28d ago
I'm curious as to whether he wanted illegal barrels and sears for collecting or whether he was trafficking it to gangbangers
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u/CanadAR15 28d ago
It doesn’t sound like there was evidence of this guy trafficking though. The other story: https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/ontario-judge-sentences-handgun-trafficker-to-house-arrest-after-mandatory-minimum-declared-unconstitutional did confirm trafficking.
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u/Tiflotin 28d ago
Yeah I was rage baited by the title then I saw the other things he did. No judge is throwing someone in prison for forgetting a trigger lock lmao. Smuggling guns and illegal modifications? Yeah ur getting jailed.
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u/CanadAR15 28d ago
Unless you don’t get jailed.
That case involved smuggling and trafficking. This case only has the smuggling charge.
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u/RealTurbulentMoose 28d ago
This guy is a smuggler though, with a record, and was caught with 30 auto sears.
He should be deported.
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28d ago
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u/RealTurbulentMoose 28d ago
No, I read the fucking article where it says the guy is a Chinese citizen.
Zhong, a citizen of China, holds a firearm license and has 26 registered firearms, court heard.
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u/hafetysazard 28d ago
So? There is a is still a high likelihood if you don’t have a Christian or European name in Canada, that you’re an immigrant.
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u/Parking_Media 28d ago
I was thinking this guy was just an autistic gun nerd and was getting the book unjustly thrown at him.
Then "auto-sears" - nah fuck that guy, jail sounds good.
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u/CanadAR15 28d ago
I was somewhat sympathetic until “30 auto sears”.
That said, it’d be nice to get some consistency at all in the justice system.
This guy (who was trafficking firearms) gets house arrest: https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/ontario-judge-sentences-handgun-trafficker-to-house-arrest-after-mandatory-minimum-declared-unconstitutional
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u/Sad-Stop-2401 28d ago edited 28d ago
Prohibited Devices import section 103(1): Minimum 3 years for first offense.
- This includes barrels of less than or equals to 105 mm.
Possessesion of Prohibited devices (Section 91, 92, and 95)
- Auto sears
- 104 unpinned magazines.
Unsafe storage, section 86:
- Storing handguns without a gun safe / vault OR a locked container and trigger lock.
This is quite a bit of mess he created for himself.
I do not know his intent. Most collectors I know follow the letter and intent of the law. Which makes me wonder what this person was doing? Either he was upto something dangerous or was compulsive horder without any care about laws.
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u/16gaugeguy16 28d ago edited 28d ago
I mean, I was upset about the headline until I read more.
Tried to import prohibited barrels as auto parts.
19 handguns found in his room, none of them stored in a locked container.
In possession of 30 auto sears [makes a glock fully automatic]
104 prohibited magazines.
Things are starting to add up now...
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u/Status_Ticket5044 28d ago
Sentence him to five years, make him serve three, put him on a plane.
What a fucking idiot.
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u/That_Trip_5071 28d ago
Why do we let non citizens get a pal?
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u/mwmwmwmwmmdw 28d ago
mainly because americans would come up here to go hunting/compete and them getting a pal made more sense in the long run if they're regularly came here to hunt or compete. the pal system was conceived before it was common for non-citizens to fly in and just stick around for many years
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u/That_Trip_5071 28d ago
I know that, I just think we should issue a temp pal to us citizens that cross with no criminal record rather than carte blanche system?
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u/IcySkyDream 28d ago
Because in Canada, owning and acquiring firearms is a licensed activity, like driving a boat or car.
As it should be.
Don’t make this into an anti-immigrant issue.
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u/That_Trip_5071 28d ago
Why do people always want to bait as an ant-immigrant issue, find me another country on earth other than the states that lets non citizens have firearm licenses. Immigration has nothing to do with my comment, they can immigrate, become citizens and get their pal, no problem with that!
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u/IcySkyDream 28d ago
You don't see the wisdom of spreading the passion of target shooting to future Canadians?
Why do you think younger, more informed members of our community have been starting target sports communities in our universities?
Your kind of knee-jerk reaction is why we interned Japanese-Canadians during WW2, confiscated their property, prohibited them from owning firearms, and then forbade the from resettling in the west after the war was over.
You might think prohibiting people on temporary immigration visas from applying for a PAL will eliminate future incidents of this nature, but by your logic banning guns would also stop shootings, and we all know how that's going.
Have some self-awareness, and stop confirming your biases and bigotry. Canada has always been a nation of immigrants, and your line of thinking has no place because it is rooted in irrational xenophobia.
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u/That_Trip_5071 28d ago
I made no link to criminal activity in any of my comments, you are the one making the link. I just questioned what country allows non-citizens to apply for a firearm license. I have lived in almost every continent working and I can assure you that a police check from them is not viable as corruption is ubiquitous, many countries the equivalent of $20 will get you any document you want. I think it is the safe and responsible thing to only allow citizens as they then have lived here for 5 years and we have a record of their good behaviour in Canada. I do not think that is bigotry by any means. You assume I am a white Canadian, without any knowledge of the people you are accusing of bigotry, which really is a textbook example of prejudice, so either you are a rage baiter or a hypocrite?
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u/ONTZ28 28d ago
I got crucified for this exact same sentiment in a thread a few weeks ago.
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u/IcySkyDream 28d ago
Because you’re a bigot.
His immigration status has nothing to do with his propensity for criminal activity.
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u/ONTZ28 28d ago
I'm a bigot because I believe people that aren't yet Canadian citizens shouldn't be granted the same privileges as Canadian citizens? That's a wild take.
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u/That_Trip_5071 28d ago
Ignore this is clearly a rage baiter.
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u/IcySkyDream 28d ago
No, I am not.
I think spreading the love of shooting to future Canadians is a much-needed lifeline to our community.
If you think immigration status is relevant, then go look up the immigration status of our last few mass shooters. 🙄
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u/IcySkyDream 28d ago
You are promoting discrimination on the basis of national origin and immigration status.
This should be grounds for criminal penalties and deportation, but international students should be allowed to partake in our hobby, same as every other Canadian PR or citizen.
If you don't see the wisdom of spreading the love of our sport to future Canadians, then you are short-sighted and xenophobic, and you are not an asset to Canadian target sports.
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u/ONTZ28 28d ago
Nah, you're wrong. It's not discrimination since once someone gains citizenship they gain all the rights of a Canadian citizen. Also, point out where I promoted discrimination based on national origin? If you're going to accuse me of something at least back it up big dog.
You pointed out international students. Aren't international students here to study and then leave? Shouldn't they be focused on their studies and not buying guns? What will they do with their guns once they leave? They don't need a PAL to go shoot.
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u/IcySkyDream 28d ago
International students fall under temporary immigrants, as are those here on work permits.
Since owning and acquiring firearms is a licensed activity, it shouldn’t be restricted based on immigration status, no different from driving a car or boat.
When international students with firearms leave, they’ll have to dispose of their firearms lawfully, just like a licensed Canadian PR or citizen.
You are clearly… uninformed, to say the least.
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u/Curious_Joe2020 28d ago
The part everyone missed is that he is a Chinese Citizen not a Canadian Citizen and yes was smuggling from the US large amounts of gun parts. Logic says he was going to modify firearms and sell them. He was caught previously doing the same thing which is the crazy part.
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u/MasterScore8739 28d ago
I don’t think anyone ‘missed’ that part.
What’s ‘missed’ are all the other examples of non-Canadians blatantly breaking firearms laws and getting away with minimal repercussions… if any.If someone does the crime, they should do the time for it. Mind you I also strongly believe mandatory minimums should be a thing. Specially if you’re caught doing the same thing multiple times.
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u/jbouit494hg 28d ago
Not saying what he did was right.
They want to give him 5 years because he had a PAL, vs the other guy from yesterday who got house arrest.
https://old.reddit.com/r/canadaguns/comments/1vsvw5h/ontario_judge_sentences_handgun_trafficker_to/
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29d ago
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u/BSDnumba123 29d ago
The guy is a non-citizen who smuggled items into Canada under false pretenses and can’t account for all the restricted firearms registered to him. Some sort of punishment beyond a small fine seems appropriate.
Although 5 years seems a lot. That’s about what you get for some murders these days.
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u/vmt8 28d ago
Not in BC
In BC, you can murder 2 people and the penalty is a $2000 fine. No jail time
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/icbc-no-fault-insurance-debate-1.7325723
On Tuesday, the woman behind the wheel in the crash — Hong Xu — was fined $2,000 and prohibited from driving for five years following an emotional sentencing in North Vancouver provincial court. She had been charged with driving without due care and attention under B.C.'s Motor Vehicle Act.
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u/RealTurbulentMoose 28d ago
Yes yes, the best way to murder people and get away with it is to use a car.
However, this guy is a convicted smuggler and has 30 auto sears. He’s not a collector, he’s a criminal.
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u/haberdasher42 28d ago
5 years does not seem like enough for gun smuggling and behaviour in line with selling his handguns. Or the autosears.
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u/CR123CR123CR 29d ago
I mean... In this case the Auto Sears alone are kinda a big deal
If it was just improper storage I could see your point but the fact that he basically had full auto firearms is kinda a sticking point for "throwing the book" at him.
There's no question among any of us that I have talked to that full autos are unquestionably illegal at this point.
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u/PhantomNomad al 28d ago
What I hate is they buried the lead like they always do. It makes legal firearms owners who follow the rules look bad.
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u/milanskiv 28d ago
He did not have full auto firearms. Where did you get that from? It’s like saying “by having pinned mags you basically have prohibited devices”.
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u/CR123CR123CR 28d ago
There's a big difference between mags and an auto sear though.
Pinning mags has been an established way to legalize a magazine for decades in our legal system.
An Autosear is a very specific prohibited device by law that takes very very little time to drop into most rifles without requiring any specialized tools.
Your argument doesn't really hold much water on this one
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u/milanskiv 28d ago
For the law, prohibited device is a prohibited device. Unpinned mag is prohibited. Full auto is prohibited.
And no, it’s not as simple as just dropping it in into a rifle. That’s internet lore
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u/CR123CR123CR 28d ago
Depends on the rifle as far as I know.
AR-15 needs some modification but I am pretty sure the old C1A1/FN FAL is almost a drop in isn't it (for example)
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u/Redbulldildo 29d ago
He smuggled in the parts to build prohib pistols and automatics. He should have the book thrown at him.
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u/CruelHandLuke_ 29d ago
More proof that if you illegally smuggle parts, prohibited magazines and auto sears there are real consequences.
This isn't a collector who got nailed for having grandpa's sxs on display, this guy was importing devices to make full autos. Where do you think those sears are going and into whose hands?
He should spend some time in jail for making the rest of us look bad.
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u/powersmoke9494 28d ago
He was in possession of 30 auto sears. As cool as it would be it's still illegal. The barrels and mags I don't care about but still not legal. There's no way he wasn't planning on selling the majority of this stuff.
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u/escv_69420 28d ago
Anyone know what the deal with revolver cylinders is? Someone I know has bought several Uberti cylinders for use in legit antiques and they all cruised right through and showed up at their door no fuss. Is this accidental illegal!?
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u/xxWraythexx 23d ago
So why are we giving fire arms liscenes to non citizens/PRs? Sounds like a bad idea to me.
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u/janaesso 28d ago
While actual gun smugglers get house arrest. Wtf
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u/Teckiiiz 28d ago
This guy is an actual smuggler? Literally previously convicted of smuggling firearm parts from the US. Now trying again with a bigger inventory.
Lock him up forever. Fuck this dude
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u/LeviathanOfLiberty 29d ago
Victimless crime the Crown can go fuck themselves.
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u/CruelHandLuke_ 28d ago
Until one of those sears show up on a glock in Toronto with a bystander shot dead.
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u/OhhhhhSoHappy 28d ago
Why do we allow PAL's to people who aren't citizens?
Sorry, make some effort to demonstrate your values align with ours.
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u/JaxIsLoud 28d ago
Where's the crime?
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u/CurtWesticles 28d ago
Read the article. The crime is all over this guy.
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u/GinnAdvent 28d ago
They really should change the title, lol
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u/CurtWesticles 28d ago
Yeah. Hard to say what their goal is with that title.
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u/haberdasher42 28d ago
Easy to say what the goal is with that title, the antigunners nutted right then and there and will refer to it when talking about PAL holders commiting crimes.
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u/milanskiv 28d ago edited 28d ago
lol auto sear, on its own, is not a prohibited device
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u/Redbulldildo 28d ago
Yes it is. Order No 9
1 Any electrical or mechanical device that is designed or adapted to operate the trigger mechanism of a semi-automatic firearm for the purpose of causing the firearm to discharge cartridges in rapid succession.
The design intent matters.
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u/milanskiv 28d ago
You can go on marstar now and see FAL and AR auto sears in inventory. Possession of a “auto sear” (there is no definition of such thing btw) in itself does not automatically make you in possession of a prohibited device because , unlike Glock switch , it is not a true drop in , you still need to drill another hole and do few other things. So yeah, provable intent matters, not the possession.
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u/Redbulldildo 28d ago
Marstar sells prohibs.
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u/milanskiv 28d ago
Don’t confuse prohibited firearms with prohibited devices. In law, they are two separate things
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u/CurtWesticles 28d ago
How about the prohib pistol barrels?
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u/milanskiv 28d ago
Prohib as caliber is prescribed to be prohib. But I got a chuckle out of “restricted 9mm barrel” as if the barrel itself is restricted
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u/Redbulldildo 28d ago
If the barrel is short enough, it is.
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u/milanskiv 28d ago
No. Then it’s prohibited. Not “restricted 9mm barrel”. Firearm it goes in can be restricted. Barrel itself has no such classification. It’s either long enough or prohibited
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u/KorporalKarnage 28d ago
He was caught with DIAS (Drop In Auto Sears). Not an Auto Sear. Two very different things in the eyes of CDN law.
You can own full auto trigger packs, auto sears, trip sears, 3 round burst LPK's all day long. But any devices designed to make your semi gun go brrrr (DIAS, gatling-style hand cranks, electrical servo actuators etc.) was banned the same day they banned drop-in bullpup stocks.
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u/CanadAR15 28d ago
Your comment is almost rage bait.
Yes, some auto sears are not prohibited. But if this was a drop in auto sear or a “switch” then it is.
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u/Nearby_Purchase_8672 28d ago
Brother should have smuggled them instead
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