A 35-year-old Winnipeg man has been charged with human smuggling after an attempted border crossing near Gretna, Manitoba, on August 22. The RCMP's Federal Policing Northwest Region, in collaboration with the U.S. Border Patrol, intercepted the smuggling operation late that evening.At approximately 10:30 p.m., officers from the Integrated Border Enforcement Team (IBET) detected a group crossing the border illegally from the U.S. into Canada, just west of the Gretna Port of Entry. The group was picked up by a lone driver in a rental vehicle, prompting police to initiate a traffic stop. Eight individuals were arrested under the Customs Act, along with the driver.The group consisted of four men and one woman from Chad, two men from Sudan, and one woman from Guinea, all between the ages of 19 and 48. The driver, identified as Abshir Mohamed Osman, a Somali national residing in Winnipeg, was charged with human smuggling under section 117 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. He was released under conditions and is scheduled to appear in Emerson Provincial Court on October 16, 2024.Sgt. Lance Goldau, head of IBET in Manitoba, emphasized the collaborative efforts in the operation, stating, "This investigation speaks to the value of our partnership with the United States Border Patrol, and we remain committed to working closely together in the interest of border security." Following interviews conducted with the assistance of French- and Arabic-speaking RCMP officers, the migrants were handed over to the Canada Border Services Agency for processing, while the investigation into the smuggling operation continues.
A 35-year-old Winnipeg man has been charged with human smuggling after an attempted border crossing near Gretna, Manitoba, on August 22. The RCMP's Federal Policing Northwest Region, in collaboration with the U.S. Border Patrol, intercepted the smuggling operation late that evening.At approximately 10:30 p.m., officers from the Integrated Border Enforcement Team (IBET) detected a group crossing the border illegally from the U.S. into Canada, just west of the Gretna Port of Entry. The group was picked up by a lone driver in a rental vehicle, prompting police to initiate a traffic stop. Eight individuals were arrested under the Customs Act, along with the driver.The group consisted of four men and one woman from Chad, two men from Sudan, and one woman from Guinea, all between the ages of 19 and 48. The driver, identified as Abshir Mohamed Osman, a Somali national residing in Winnipeg, was charged with human smuggling under section 117 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. He was released under conditions and is scheduled to appear in Emerson Provincial Court on October 16, 2024.Sgt. Lance Goldau, head of IBET in Manitoba, emphasized the collaborative efforts in the operation, stating, "This investigation speaks to the value of our partnership with the United States Border Patrol, and we remain committed to working closely together in the interest of border security." Following interviews conducted with the assistance of French- and Arabic-speaking RCMP officers, the migrants were handed over to the Canada Border Services Agency for processing, while the investigation into the smuggling operation continues.
