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CTV News
6 days ago
- CTV News
Men charged in connection with 44 migrants found in truck in Quebec to stay detained
An RCMP vehicle sits at Roxham Road in St. Bernard-de-Lacolle, Que., on Wednesday, July 30, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christinne Muschi MONTREAL — Three men facing smuggling-related charges after 44 foreign nationals were found in a truck in southern Quebec on Sunday will remain detained until their next court hearing. Ogulcan Mersin, Dogan Alakus and Firat Yuksek appeared in a Sherbrooke, Que. courtroom today following their arrest over the weekend. Prosecutor Annabelle Racine objected to their release on several grounds, and the next date was set for Aug. 28. The suspects were arrested Sunday after police intercepted a cube truck carrying the foreign nationals in southern Quebec near the U.S. border. The men have been charged with inducing, aiding or abetting someone to commit an offence under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act as well as assisting people to enter Canada outside of a designated customs office. One of the accused told the judge through a Turkish-language interpreter that they hadn't been able to speak with their families since their arrests. 'It's been very frustrating for us, since the moment we have been detained,' Yuksek said through the interpreter. 'We have not been in touch with our families, our families do not know where we are.' He explained that police had taken his cellphone and those of his co-accused, and they did not know the phone numbers of their families by heart. The accused all confirmed that they wished to be represented by legal aid lawyers. Racine objected to the accused's release on several grounds, including the risk that they will not appear for future dates and the need to protect public safety. RCMP spokesperson Charles Poirier said earlier this week that police intercepted a cube van at around 2:20 a.m. on Sunday after receiving information about a group of migrants planning to cross the border from the United States. He said the 44 migrants were mostly Haitian, and included a pregnant woman and children as young as four. They were dehydrated, 'visibly distraught' and in cramped conditions when police found them, he added. 'Just horrific conditions, really, that they were basically left in,' Poirier said after the arrest. In court, the men were asked not to communicate with a certain person, and were warned that more charges could follow if they did. One of the accused said the person 'was also in the vehicle,' before being advised by his lawyer not to say more in open court. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 6, 2025. Morgan Lowrie, The Canadian Press
CBC
6 days ago
- CBC
Men charged in connection with 44 migrants found in truck in Quebec to stay detained
Social Sharing Three men facing smuggling-related charges after 44 foreign nationals were found in a truck in southern Quebec on Sunday will remain detained until their next court hearing. Ogulcan Mersin, Dogan Alakus and Firat Yuksek appeared in a Sherbrooke, Que., courtroom Wednesday following their arrest over the weekend. Prosecutor Annabelle Racine objected to their release on several grounds, and the next date was set for Aug. 28. The suspects were arrested Sunday after police intercepted a cube truck carrying the foreign nationals in southern Quebec near the U.S. border. The men have been charged with inducing, aiding or abetting someone to commit an offence under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act as well as assisting people to enter Canada outside of a designated customs office. One of the accused told the judge through a Turkish-language interpreter that they hadn't been able to speak with their families since their arrests. "It's been very frustrating for us, since the moment we have been detained," Yuksek said through the interpreter. "We have not been in touch with our families, our families do not know where we are." He explained that police had taken his cellphone and those of his co-accused, and they did not know the phone numbers of their families by heart. The accused all confirmed that they wished to be represented by legal aid lawyers. Racine objected to the accused's release on several grounds, including the risk that they will not appear for future dates and the need to protect public safety. RCMP spokesperson Charles Poirier said earlier this week that police intercepted a cube van at around 2:20 a.m. on Sunday after receiving information about a group of migrants planning to cross the border from the United States. He said the 44 migrants were mostly Haitian, and included a pregnant woman and children as young as four. They were dehydrated, "visibly distraught" and in cramped conditions when police found them, he added. "Just horrific conditions, really, that they were basically left in," Poirier said after the arrest. In court, the men were asked not to communicate with a certain person, and were warned that more charges could follow if they did. One of the accused said the person "was also in the vehicle," before being advised by his lawyer not to say more in open court.
Global News
6 days ago
- Global News
Men charged in connection with 44 migrants found in truck in Quebec to stay detained
Three men facing smuggling-related charges after 44 foreign nationals were found in a truck in southern Quebec on Sunday will remain detained until their next court hearing. Ogulcan Mersin, Dogan Alakus and Firat Yuksek appeared in a Sherbrooke, Que. courtroom today following their arrest over the weekend. Prosecutor Annabelle Racine objected to their release on several grounds, and the next date was set for Aug. 28. The suspects were arrested Sunday after police intercepted a cube truck carrying the foreign nationals in southern Quebec near the U.S. border. The men have been charged with inducing, aiding or abetting someone to commit an offence under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act as well as assisting people to enter Canada outside of a designated customs office. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy One of the accused told the judge through a Turkish-language interpreter that they hadn't been able to speak with their families since their arrests. Story continues below advertisement 'It's been very frustrating for us, since the moment we have been detained,' Yuksek said through the interpreter. 'We have not been in touch with our families, our families do not know where we are.' He explained that police had taken his cellphone and those of his co-accused, and they did not know the phone numbers of their families by heart. The accused all confirmed that they wished to be represented by legal aid lawyers. Racine objected to the accused's release on several grounds, including the risk that they will not appear for future dates and the need to protect public safety. RCMP spokesperson Charles Poirier said earlier this week that police intercepted a cube van at around 2:20 a.m. on Sunday after receiving information about a group of migrants planning to cross the border from the United States. He said the 44 migrants were mostly Haitian, and included a pregnant woman and children as young as four. They were dehydrated, 'visibly distraught' and in cramped conditions when police found them, he added. 'Just horrific conditions, really, that they were basically left in,' Poirier said after the arrest. In court, the men were asked not to communicate with a certain person, and were warned that more charges could follow if they did. One of the accused said the person 'was also in the vehicle,' before being advised by his lawyer not to say more in open court. Story continues below advertisement This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 6, 2025.
Winnipeg Free Press
6 days ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Men charged in connection with 44 migrants found in truck in Quebec to stay detained
MONTREAL – Three men facing smuggling-related charges after 44 foreign nationals were found in a truck in southern Quebec on Sunday will remain detained until their next court hearing. Ogulcan Mersin, Dogan Alakus and Firat Yuksek appeared in a Sherbrooke, Que. courtroom today following their arrest over the weekend. Prosecutor Annabelle Racine objected to their release on several grounds, and the next date was set for Aug. 28. The suspects were arrested Sunday after police intercepted a cube truck carrying the foreign nationals in southern Quebec near the U.S. border. The men have been charged with inducing, aiding or abetting someone to commit an offence under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act as well as assisting people to enter Canada outside of a designated customs office. One of the accused told the judge through a Turkish-language interpreter that they hadn't been able to speak with their families since their arrests. 'It's been very frustrating for us, since the moment we have been detained,' Yuksek said through the interpreter. 'We have not been in touch with our families, our families do not know where we are.' He explained that police had taken his cellphone and those of his co-accused, and they did not know the phone numbers of their families by heart. The accused all confirmed that they wished to be represented by legal aid lawyers. Racine objected to the accused's release on several grounds, including the risk that they will not appear for future dates and the need to protect public safety. RCMP spokesperson Charles Poirier said earlier this week that police intercepted a cube van at around 2:20 a.m. on Sunday after receiving information about a group of migrants planning to cross the border from the United States. He said the 44 migrants were mostly Haitian, and included a pregnant woman and children as young as four. They were dehydrated, 'visibly distraught' and in cramped conditions when police found them, he added. 'Just horrific conditions, really, that they were basically left in,' Poirier said after the arrest. In court, the men were asked not to communicate with a certain person, and were warned that more charges could follow if they did. One of the accused said the person 'was also in the vehicle,' before being advised by his lawyer not to say more in open court. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 6, 2025.
Toronto Sun
05-08-2025
- Toronto Sun
Smuggling suspects charged after dozens of migrants found in truck near Quebec-U.S. border
The vehicle was stopped by the RCMP and Quebec provincial police overnight from Saturday to Sunday in southern Quebec. Published Aug 04, 2025 • Last updated 17 hours ago • 1 minute read The Canadian Border Services Agency crossing in Lacolle, Quebec, south of Montreal, on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. Most of the migrants found inside a truck were transferred to the agency's processing centre in St-Bernard-de-Lacolle. Allen McInnis/Montreal Gazette Three men have been arrested and charged after police intercepted a truck carrying 44 foreign nationals near Stanstead, Que., over the weekend, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) says. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account The vehicle was stopped by the RCMP and Quebec provincial police overnight from Saturday to Sunday near Haskell Rd., close to the U.S. border. Some of those aboard, including children, were taken into custody. Dogan Alakus and Firat Yuksek, both 31, as well as Ogulcan Mersin, 25, are now facing charges under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, the CBSA said. They are accused of inducing, aiding or abetting individuals to enter Canada illegally, and of facilitating entry at a location other than a designated customs office. All three men remain in custody and are expected to appear in court on Wednesday. Miguel Bégin, the CBSA's east border district director, told Radio-Canada on Monday that most of the migrants were transferred to the agency's processing centre in St-Bernard-de-Lacolle, where they are undergoing immigration examinations to determine their eligibility for asylum. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'It is highly likely that several migrants will be returned to the United States in the coming hours. Some were already returned yesterday because they did not meet the Safe Third Country Agreement exemption criteria,' Bégin said. Asylum seekers who arrive in the U.S. before reaching Canada are usually turned back due to the Safe Third Country Agreement (STCA), which requires that they seek asylum in the first safe country they arrive in. There are exceptions to the agreement, including being married to a Canadian citizen. The agency says the investigation is ongoing and that additional charges may be laid. As of the end of July, the CBSA had processed 22,237 asylum claims across Canada, which is down just under 50 per cent from 41,187 at the same point last year. Quebec saw a similar decline, with claims dropping from 22,337 to 14,874. — With files from The Canadian Press Columnists Opinion Sunshine Girls Relationships Sunshine Girls
