(CMR) Anton Parygin, the Russian Canadian who was charged with importing multiple firearms into the Cayman Islands, was freed of the charges on Friday after the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions told the courts it no longer wished to proceed to trial.
Parygin arrived in the Cayman Islands on 28 January 2023 and brought in three firearms: a 9 mm semi-automatic pistol, a 12-gauge shotgun, and a semiautomatic rifle with a 16-inch barrel. He was charged with six counts of importation and possession of an unlicensed firearm.
When he appeared in court last month, Prygin's attorneys, KC Ben Tonner and James Stenning, argued that he did not illegally import the firearms as he declared them to Customs and Border Control (CBC) when he arrived at the Owen Roberts International Airport.
Justice Carter ruled that Parygin had lawfully declared the weapons under Section 5 of the Firearms Act.
On Friday, Assistant Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Scott Wainwright said that based on that ruling, the Office of the DPP decided to enter a Nolle prosequi.
Under Section 5 of the Firearms Act, a traveler can declare that he has any firearm or bulletproof vest in his possession. The firearm or bulletproof vest can be allowed to remain on the vessel or aircraft upon which the passenger arrived into the Islands until after such vessel or aircraft departs from the Islands, or the firearm or bulletproof vest can be given to a customs officer in a sealed packet to be dealt with in accordance with section 6, unless the traveler is the holder of a permit under section 19, or he has the written approval of the Commissioner under section 3(2), authorizing the importation of such firearm or bulletproof vest into the Islands.
Section 6 allows for the firearm or bulletproof vest to be retained in the sealed packet until the traveler from whom it was received produces a permit.
Although the charges have been dropped, the guns remain with the CBC. The court did not make any orders in relation to the guns.
For Parygin to get the guns, he will have to obtain a permit or get the Commissioner’s written approval authorizing the importation of such firearm or bulletproof vest into the Islands and pay the appropriate duty on such firearm or bulletproof vest. He can also choose to leave the island with the weapons.
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