Winnipeg man charged with human smuggling after SUV stopped near Canada-U.S. border
Posted October 9, 2024 2:29 pm.
Last Updated October 9, 2024 2:30 pm.
Police in Manitoba say a Winnipeg man has been charged with human smuggling and six others were arrested near the Emerson Canada-U.S. border crossing.
The RCMP say officers stopped an SUV that was carrying numerous people and luggage on Sept. 28 around 10:35 p.m., about seven kilometres east of Emerson.
Four men and a woman from Africa — from Sudan, Chad and Mauritania — were arrested under the Customs Act. Police say they ranged in age from 30 to 53 years old.
Police say a 42-year-old permanent resident of Canada, who was allegedly driving the vehicle, was also arrested. He was charged with human smuggling and released on several conditions. He appeared in court Monday.
“Crossing the Canada and United States border between the ports of entry is not only an illegal act, but a dangerous one,” said Sgt. Lance Goldau, head of the RCMP’s Integrated Border Enforcement Team (IBET) in Manitoba. “For everyone’s safety, we continue to work closely with our United States counterparts to stop incursions at the border.”
The six individuals were handed over to the Canada Border Services Agency for processing.
