Former Member of Parliament Inky Mark, who faced 12 weapons charges last month, now confronts an additional 26 charges. Authorities disclosed that they confiscated 445 firearms and 26.5 kilograms of explosives from his residence in Manitoba. The 78-year-old was reapprehended on August 12 following a prolonged inquiry.
Mark’s initial arrest occurred during a search of his dwelling near Dauphin in western Manitoba on July 7. He was charged with various offenses, such as firearms trafficking, illegal possession of a firearm with an altered serial number, inadequate firearms storage, negligent firearm use, and unauthorized possession of prohibited devices. The police uncovered 439 guns during the initial raid, along with an antique cannon and ammunition.
A recent announcement from the RCMP revealed that a total of 445 firearms were retrieved from Mark’s home, with 295 found to be stored unsafely. Additionally, 10 firearms were prohibited, and 11 were registered to Mark but classified as restricted or prohibited without his registration. Furthermore, authorities seized 26.5 kilograms of explosives, surpassing the legal possession limit for licensed individuals by more than fourfold.
Subsequently, Mark faces a total of 38 charges, including new accusations such as weapons trafficking, possession of prohibited weapons, possession of restricted firearms with ammunition, illegal possession of firearms, and possession of firearms with tampered serial numbers. Moreover, Mark is accused of failing to report the loss of firearms and possessing over six kilograms of explosives, mainly Tannerite, a brand of explosive targets. Possessing more than six kilograms of such reactive targets is illegal under Canadian law.
In response to the charges, Mark acknowledged illegally transferring three firearms but denied any involvement in trafficking. He clarified that his firearms collection, which began in the 1970s, now includes weapons rendered illegal over the years due to evolving gun regulations. During the earlier search, authorities also discovered over $300,000 in cash, which Mark claimed stemmed from property transactions in Dauphin, refuting any connection to firearms trafficking.
Moreover, the RCMP alleged that between December 2024 and February 2025, Mark voluntarily provided a firearm and ammunition to an unlicensed individual following a social media post about a coyote sighting. The recipient did not use the weapon, and it was subsequently recovered by investigators. While Mark faces weapons trafficking charges related to this incident, the friend who received the firearm has not been charged.
Mark, a former MP for Dauphin-Swan River-Neepawa, initiated his parliamentary career in 1997 and resigned in 2010 after representing various political parties. His unsuccessful bid for re-election in 2015 followed his tenure as mayor of Dauphin in 1994.
The ongoing legal proceedings against Mark underscore a complex web of allegations involving firearms and explosives, signaling a significant legal challenge for the former parliamentarian.