American car seized by Toronto Police. Help!

[aleksey_k]

removed

 

[zardoz]

Its a dark day...

I moved to Canada from States few years ago, i have a PR card, no passport yet. 2 years ago mom bought the car, its in my moms name, registered and insured there. We brought the car over and I have been driving it here ever since. Today I got pulled over for minor speeding, and a very "pleasant" officer ripped me a new one. Car was confiscated and towed away, I was given a number to call someone from customs on monday to try and resolve this.

Im trying to find help online and cant really find what to do AFTER it hit the fan.

Can my mom pick up the car and take it back?
Can i register and insure the car under my name? (i got an idea of things to do, but all of them are required BEFORE bringing the car over)
Can my mom or myself be legally procecuted?
What kinda fines am i looking at?

Any input will be appreciated.

You may face a significant fine and loss of the vehicle. You are possibly breaking both provincial law and customs law.

 

[scylla]

Did you officially import the car when you brought it into Canada?

 

[aleksey_k]

nope

 

[scylla]

nope

Yeah - that's definitely a problem (illegal).

At a minimum you're facing fines. I don't have the experience to tell you what else.

 

[scylla]

Just to add to my comment above - this will quite likely result in you being flagged in the CBSA database. What this practically means is that it's quite likely you'll undergo additional scrutiny whenever you enter Canada from the US.

 

[zardoz]

http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/publications/dm-md/d2/d2-4-1-eng.html

Penalty Information

15. Failure to comply with the terms and conditions of temporary importation may render a conveyance subject to seizure and/or forfeiture.

 

[aleksey_k]

splendid ???

i guess ill have to talk to an attorney tomorrow.. i will pay what I owe, just didnt think it was such a big deal since car has always been plated with correct tags and insured.. Ive been pulled over before, pretty recently, and never had to go through this

 

[scylla]

splendid ???

i guess ill have to talk to an attorney tomorrow.. i will pay what I owe, just didnt think it was such a big deal since car has always been plated with correct tags and insured.. Ive been pulled over before, pretty recently, and never had to go through this

Unfortunately it's a pretty big deal. It's a customs offence (tax avoidance, duty avoidance, other fee avoidance).

Good luck tomorrow.

 

[aleksey_k]

thank you!!

what kind of a lawyer should i contact? i only know immigration lawyers here in canada and i dont think they deal with these kinda problems