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An Indian-origin man, Arunjit Singh Virk, has been sentenced to 30 months in prison after being caught with a loaded ‘ghost gun’ in a mall in Canada.

Virk had taken the loaded gun that didn’t have a serial number to Metro Town mall in Burnaby, British Columbia.

Other than the prison term, 23-year-old Virk, has also been barred from owning any firearms or ammunition for 10 years.

“Virk is prohibited from possessing any firearm, prohibited firearm, restricted firearm, crossbow, restricted weapon, ammunition and explosive substance for ten years”, ruled British Columbia (BC) provincial court Judge Reginald P Harris.

His arrest on March 28, 2021, occurred after a Metro Vancouver Transit police officer spotted him engaged in a suspected drug transaction at the Metrotown parking lot in Burnaby.

He was sentenced in January this year and his case files have recently been made available.

Virk hastily moved into the mall to evade the officer’s detection, where police observed him making clothing purchases and changing outfits to avoid detection.

Upon exiting the mall and entering a taxi, he was intercepted and arrested by police, who found a loaded Polymer 80 model PF940CL semi-automatic handgun in his possession. The gun lacked a serial number, making it untraceable.

Born and raised in British Columbia’s Lower Mainland, Canada, Virk’s upbringing was stable and neglect-free.

However, he began using drugs, including Percocet, following his uncle’s death when he was 15.

Virk faced bullying in school and was expelled multiple times before completing grade 12 through Queen Elizabeth Continuing Education at age 20, according to the case records. His employment history includes various jobs in construction, and at the time of sentencing, he worked as an office assistant where his mother works.

Virk began smoking marijuana and consuming alcohol in his early teens. At 17, he started using oxycodone and, ultimately, his drug use escalated and, to assist him, his parents took him to India for treatment. Despite attempts at rehabilitation, Virk struggled with drug use until May 2023.

He was diagnosed with an unspecified mood disorder and traits of an antisocial personality disorder and polysubstance use disorder.

While the defense advocated for a conditional sentence order of 18 to 24 months followed by probation, the counsel of the Crown argued for a 36-month custodial sentence to prioritise denunciation and deterrence.

The judge, acknowledging Virk’s rehabilitation efforts and mental health challenges, deemed the possession of a loaded firearm in a public area as aggravating.

Despite a lack of prior convictions, Virk’s actions posed a risk to public safety, leading to the imposition of a custodial sentence.

The court also addressed letters advocating against a jail sentence for Virk, raising concerns about their impartiality and the absence of knowledge about the offence.

Ultimately, the judge emphasised the importance of balancing rehabilitation with the seriousness of the offence in determining Virk’s sentence.