CORNWALL, Ontario – Four people have been nabbed by border enforcement officers for trying to smuggle people into the city from the United States.
The Canada Border Services Agency’s (CBSA) Cornwall Enforcement and Intelligence team received information from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (USCBP) officers that three foreign nationals were identified in Massena, N.Y. as acting in a suspicious manner.
The CBSA, with the assistance of partner agencies, conducted surveillance on the three individuals and the Akwesasne Mohawk Police Service were able to intercept and arrest three foreign nationals and a resident of Cornwall.
The Cornwall resident, who was not named, was arrested for aiding and abetting the illegal movement of people into Canada under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, and the three foreign nationals were arrested for entering Canada without examination.
All were transported to the Cornwall Regional Task Force detachment for processing by the CBSA.
The three foreign nationals received their detention review and admissibility hearings on Feb. 15 and 16, 2016. The Cornwall resident was released on a Promise to Appear. He will appear in court on March 15.
“These arrests are a great example of how law enforcement agencies in the Cornwall area are working together to fight crime and smuggling activity,” said Jeff Davidson, Director, CBSA Enforcement and Intelligence Operations Division. “I want to congratulate officers from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the Akwesasne-Mohawk Police Service and the CBSA for working together and sharing timely information that led to the arrests.”
The CBSA works closely with government and law enforcement partners to maintain the integrity of Canada’s immigration system and protect the safety and security of Canadians.
