By Canadian Press

Montrealer ordered to pay $35,000 fine for not declaring luxury watch at border

Oct 17, 2024 | 9:27 AM

MONTREAL — A Montreal business owner will have to pay a hefty fine after he imported a luxury watch without declaring it to customs.

A Federal Court judge this week ruled that David Segall Blouin must pay a $35,000 fine and $11,400 in Quebec sales tax on a $115,000 watch he bought more than two years ago.

Blouin flew to Philadelphia to buy the watch from a luxury dealer in August 2022, and returned to Montreal the same day but failed to declare the watch to customs.

He had the empty watch box sent to Canada by FedEx, and claimed he planned to pay duties when the package was delivered to him.

But agents from the Canada Border Services Agency found that the manifest that accompanied the package showed a value of just six dollars.

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Blouin, who owns a transport and logistics company in Montreal, challenged the fine in Federal Court, lost, and has now been ordered to pay the government’s legal fees as well.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 17, 2024.

The Canadian Press