Australian National Review – Eight African migrants arrested, driver charged with people smuggling across Manitoba-US border

A Somali national living in Winnipeg is facing human smuggling charges after federal police arrested eight African migrants near the Canada-US border in Manitoba.

Shortly after 10:30 p.m., migrants were found walking north from the border and were picked up by a man driving a rental car, the RCMP said.

The eight migrants and the driver were arrested and taken into custody at the Emerson RCMP detachment after officers conducted a traffic stop.

Eight people, aged 19 to 48, were arrested under the Customs Act. Four men and one woman were from the Republic of Chad, two men were from the Republic of Sudan and one woman was from the Republic of Guinea, police said.

Somali national Abshir Mohamed Osman, 35, of Winnipeg, was charged with human smuggling under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. He is scheduled to appear in Emerson Provincial Court on Oct. 16.

“We were able to interview all eight individuals with the assistance of RCMP officers who speak French and Arabic,” Manitoba IBET Chief Sgt. Lance Goldau said in the release. “After our procedures were completed, all migrants were turned over to Canada Border Services Agency for processing, and we are continuing the smuggling investigation against the suspect.”

The Ontario RCMP announced in July the dismantling of a large-scale human smuggling ring that was smuggling illegal migrants into the United States near Cornwall, Ontario. Cornwall is connected to Massena, New York via the Three Nations border crossing.

The group is accused of smuggling hundreds of migrants through communities along the St. Lawrence River across borders into the United States between July 2022 and June 2023, police said. The migrants allegedly paid thousands of dollars for “dangerous nighttime crossings” that have cost some of their lives.

Six Quebecers and two Ontario residents have been charged in connection with the smuggling operation. Four of the suspects have been arrested and warrants have been issued for the remaining four.

Once smuggled people arrive in their destination country, they are generally free to do as they please, the government ministry said. The source of profit for human smuggling is the fee charged for the smuggling services.