Canadian intelligence officers visited a Quebec firearms manufacturer after its sniper rifles turned up in Russia, according to the company’s president.
The Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) met with Cadex Defence about Russia’s efforts to evade sanctions, Serge Dextraze told Global News.
The briefing took place after Global News reported in October that social media posts showed Cadex rifles for sale in Moscow and in the hands of Russian snipers.
While some of the Canadian-made guns appeared to have been captured from Ukrainian forces, others looked brand new and still had their product tags.
Sanctions imposed in response to President Vladimir Putin’s 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine banned the export of weapons to Russia.
Based south of Montreal, Cadex supplies military and law enforcement agencies worldwide. Dextraze said the company did not export its products to Russia.
CSIS said it had been working with manufacturers and exporters to prevent Russia from acquiring Canadian goods.
“With increased awareness of this illicit activity, Canadian companies are better enabled to proactively vet customers themselves,” a spokesperson said.
CSIS would not comment further, but its May 1 annual report said Russia was attempting to “illicitly procure export controlled and sanctioned technology from the West, including Canada.”
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Russian procurement efforts are focused on materials required “to sustain its military-industrial complex and support its war against Ukraine,” CSIS wrote.
“Specifically, Russia sought to procure Canadian technology, such as microelectronics, satellite communication technology, and precision firearms.”
The report said CSIS had assisted Canadian companies so they could “identify how Canadian goods were being acquired and shipped to Russia.”
Dextraze confirmed in a phone call with Global News that CSIS had met with his company several times to discuss the matter.
The intelligence officers “verified that we have done everything in the perfect way,” but also used the visit as an opportunity to assist the company, he said.
He said the CSIS officials were “sharing their knowledge with the people who had security clearance … How can we be aware of things that we’re not aware of?”
“They did give some help, and the advice that they gave us, we’re not allowed initially to repeat because it’s under high confidentiality,” he said.
“And they told us to maintain, actually, quite a low profile on the methodology that they have proposed to us. But at the end of the day, we already had good systems.”
“You’re dealing with a super big country that if they decide they want to disturb your economy, they are capable to do it, and they have all the tricky ways to do it,” he added.
While the company’s systems were already “pretty good … now we’ll just get one step better,” Dextraze said. “Let’s just say it’s behind us now.”
Russia has faced widespread sanctions since it invaded neighbouring Ukraine. The measures are an attempt to isolate Putin and undermine his war effort.
But American, European and Canadian firearms have nonetheless appeared in Russia.
In March, a U.S. court convicted an Italian of a scheme that shipped ammunition to Kyrgyzstan. From there, it was moved to Russia to support the war in Ukraine.
More than two dozen Cadex rifles are featured on the website of a Moscow gun retailer, which lists them as “in stock” and includes links to “place your order.”
Photos and videos on social media sites also show Russian snipers, some credited with dozens of kills in Ukraine, firing Cadex rifles.
After Global News reported on the issue last October, Foreign Minister Anita Anand told reporters she was looking into the matter.
More than six months later, the government has not responded to a request from Global News under the Access to Information Act to release documents related to the probe.
Asked what had resulted from Anand’s review, a Global Affairs Canada spokesperson released a statement that did not answer the question.
The statement said there had been no “direct-to-Russia exports of arms” from Canada since 2015, and no parts had gone to the country since 2020.
“We are aware of significant sales of weapons to Ukraine, by Canada and other countries, which could be taken by the Russian military on the battlefield,” it said.
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