The Royal Canadian Mounted Police seized a homemade firearm from a St-Joseph-du-Lac man as well as 3D printers and plans to machine them at home.
The investigation targeting Pascal Tribout, aged 37, began after the discovery of hateful comments against Jews, which he is accused of having broadcast on the encrypted messaging network Telegram.
It was during a search of his home this Thursday that the police discovered “material linked to extremist ideology” as well as “several dozen firearm parts” and a “large quantity of printers 3D,” says Sergeant Charles Poirier, RCMP spokesperson.
PHOTO TAKEN FROM PASCAL TRIBOUT’S LINKEDIN ACCOUNT
Pascal Tribout
The police notably found a printed FGC-9 model weapon, the name of which is an acronym for “Fuck gun control”. They also seized a prohibited high-capacity charger as well as electronic equipment. “There were plans in particular to print weapons,” specifies Sergeant Charles Poirier, spokesperson for the RCMP.
Printing a firearm frame is prohibited in Canada under the Criminal Code. Sharing plans is also prohibited. Mr. Tribout will face charges of arms trafficking, possession of prohibited firearms, possession of a prohibited device, possession and distribution of computer data relating to weapons that can be used with a 3D printer and having fomented hatred.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY THE ROYAL CANADIAN MOUNTED POLICE
A 3D printer was seized
Mr. Tribout’s Instagram and LinkedIn profiles contain a limited number of anti-vaccine posts dating back to the COVID-19 pandemic. “One of the best things about being a conspiracy theorist is that you don’t end up with myocarditis,” says one of the posts he shared from PatriotsHub, an online advocacy community for the 1er amendment to the American Constitution, which calls for absolute freedom of speech.
The search lasted all day and mobilized around fifty police officers, who had to rent cube trucks to transport the seized material, indicates Sergeant Poirier.
The police also searched a commercial premises of a roofing company of which Mr. Tribout is a shareholder. However, there is nothing to suggest that these premises were used for criminal purposes. “The suspect has no known accomplices” at this stage, specifies the RCMP.
Reached by telephone, one of Mr. Tribout’s business partners dissociated himself from any illegal activity.