An Aurora resident has been charged after police seized a firearm during a suspicious vehicle investigation in Markham.
On Dec. 14, York Regional Police officers were patrolling in the area of Markham Road and Major McKenzie Drive when they observed a vehicle in a parking lot, with two people inside acting suspiciously, police said.
Officers investigated and found the people were smoking marijuana inside the vehicle. A search of the occupants then uncovered a loaded handgun.
Hamza Alam, 21, of Aurora, and Benjamin Ganeson, 20, of Markham, were both charged with the following:
- Careless storage of firearm, weapon, prohibited device
- Possession of a firearm knowing its possession is unauthorized
- Possession of a loaded prohibited or restricted firearm
- Possession of weapon
- Possession of a prohibited or restricted weapon knowing its possession is unauthorized
- Unauthorized possession of a firearm in a motor vehicle
- Unauthorized possession of a prohibited device or ammunition
Alam is also charged with possession of a firearm or ammunition contrary to prohibition while Ganeson is charged with driving vehicle with cannabis readily available.
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact York Regional Police #5 District Criminal Investigations Bureau at 1-866-876-5423, ext. 7541, or call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS, leave an anonymous tip online.
