JOHNSTOWN – An Ottawa man learned the hard way that it’s better to be up front and honest at the border.
This, after driving a U.S.-plated car across the border into Canada on Jan. 15, 2017 where he claimed the vehicle had been loaned to him by a friend, the CBSA said.
The driver had declared $300 in goods after shopping in Ogdensburg, N.Y. but the whole “borrow the car from a friend” didn’t wash with border agents.
After being questioned and a search of the man’s phone and car in secondary inspection, the 45-year-old Ottawa resident later admitted he had just bought the $12,000 vehicle.
The man had attempted to evade paying $700 in duties and taxes as well as the $295 registration for important vehicles fee.
Instead, he ended up paying a $6,646 penalty on top of those fees before the car was released.