Leave your guns at home, border services warns Americans

Border officials continue to warn Americans to leave their handguns at home when coming to visit Canada.

Canada Border Services Agency officially launched itsfirearms awareness campaign Thursday, reminding U.S. visitors to Canada to leave guns at home.

• Canada border agency starts campaign to remind U.S. of gun laws here

CBSAagentsseized 241 firearms atsouthern Ontario border crossings in 2015. Those figures are up from the 164 seized in 2014 and the 142 seized in 2013.

Most firearms seized by the CBSA at land-border crossings are personal weaponsof U.S. travellers, officials said Thursday, while displaying dozens of weapons seized at the border.

"Use of firearms for personal protection is not a valid reason to import firearms to Canada," said Jeff Gilmore,CBSA spokesman.

The CBSA suggests Americans check the laws before arriving at a Canadian port of entry.

Failure to declare any firearm may lead to the seizure of the weapon, a penalty or prosecution in a court of law and may make the person inadmissible to Canada.

A U.S. citizen's vehicle may also be seized and the owner will have to pay a penalty to get it back.