A B.C. man received five years for breaking into a home, stealing firearms, and selling a stolen rifle to an undercover cop in a major trafficking case.
Li Fu Alex Ni has been sentenced to five years in prison after being found guilty of stealing firearms from a Richmond home and selling one to an undercover police officer. The break-in occurred in August 2020, involving the theft of 15 firearms along with luxury items such as designer jewellery and high-end purses.
Break-In and Theft: An Elaborate Crime
Ni was one of three individuals who spent over eight hours breaking into a Broadmoor Street residence. They used tools including an angle grinder to access a gun safe discovered inside the home. Surveillance footage and purchase receipts tied Ni directly to the crime, disproving his claim that he was unaware of the break-in.
Undercover Operation Exposes Gun Trafficking
Three months after the theft, Ni sold a Simonov SKS semi-automatic rifle to an undercover officer for $3,000. During the operation, Ni displayed photographs of firearms on his phone and assured the officer the weapons had their serial numbers removed, implying they were “clean” and not linked to any crimes.
Court Rejects Entrapment Claims
Despite Ni’s argument that the undercover sting was entrapment and violated his Charter rights, the court found he initiated the gun sale discussions and actively participated in the trafficking. However, the judge did acknowledge a rights violation during Ni’s detainment and reduced his sentence by six months accordingly.
Sentencing and Legal Outcome
After accounting for time served and the sentence reduction, Ni will serve just over four years in prison. The case highlights the serious consequences of firearms trafficking and the effectiveness of coordinated police operations targeting illegal gun sales.
Stay tuned to Maple News Wire for more updates on this case and related news.
