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Winnipeg Free Press
19 minutes ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Fourth man charged after 44 people, mostly Haitians, found in truck by U.S. border
MONTREAL – The RCMP say a fourth person has been charged in an alleged human smuggling operation after 44 people were found inside a cube truck earlier this month in Quebec by the United States border. Tolga Yilmaz, 34, was arrested at Montreal Trudeau International Airport on Aug. 8, allegedly on his way out of the country. The Mounties and Canada Border Services Agency say Yilmaz was allegedly involved in the illegal entry into Canada of 44 people on Aug. 3 near Stanstead, Que. Three other men were arrested on charges including aiding or abetting someone to commit an offence under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. Yilmaz faces the same charges and remains detained like the other three accused. The 44 migrants were mostly Haitian, and included a pregnant woman and children as young as four. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 12, 2025.
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.
Vancouver Sun
05-08-2025
- Vancouver Sun
Three alleged human smugglers arrested in Quebec, 44 asylum seekers detained
Three alleged human smugglers have been arrested, along with 44 foreign nationals, after crossing into Canada from the United States over the August long weekend. In a statement Monday, the Canada Border Services Agency said the group was detained on Haskell Road near Stanstead, Que., a town on the border between Quebec and Vermont, overnight Saturday to Sunday. 'Entering Canada illegally presents several risks and dangers, both legally and in terms of security of the person. Illegal entry into Canada is an offence that can result in arrest and criminal prosecution,' wrote Guillaume Bérubé, a spokesperson for the CBSA, in an email to National Post. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Ogulcan Mersin, 25, Dogan Alakus, 31, and Firat Yuksek, 31 have been charged under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act for encouraging people to commit an offence, and the Customs Act, for assisting people to enter Canada outside of a designated customs office. All three remain in custody. As for the other people detained by police, each will be assessed to determine whether they are eligible to make asylum claims in Canada. Most have been transferred to the CBSA's processing facility at Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle, Que., Bérubé said. Cpl. Erique Gasse said there was at least one child in the group detained — around four years old — and one of the women was pregnant. The asylum seekers, he said, had been dropped off on the U.S. side of the border and traversed forest and streams to enter into Canada. 'So, a lot of time they get lost in the forest when they arrive in Canada,' said Gasse in an interview. This group, once in Canada, met with the three alleged smugglers and were bundled into a 16-foot cube van. The RCMP said it does not know what the eventual destination was for the group. Upon discovery, Gasse said that it was incredibly hot inside the van and officers gave some water to them. 'The ending of that story is nice because they couldn't breathe. It was pretty hot,' Gasse said. Officers also gave emergency blankets to those who were wet and cold once they were outside, Gasse said. To his knowledge, none required medical attention. Although he didn't know its provenance, Gasse said Canadian authorities had received a tip about the group illegally entering Canada. For several years, Canada has been dealing with tens of thousands of illegal border crossers coming into Canada along the undefended border with the United States, often at uncontrolled crossings. So far in 2025, the CBSA has processed 22,237 asylum applications in Canada. That's a 46-per-cent drop from 2024, when by the end of July there were more than 41,000 asylum claims made in the country. Nearly 15,000 of those claims have been made in Quebec. So far, across Canada, 2,169 asylum claimants have been sent back to the United States for being ineligible to be in Canada. The two nations have an agreement, the Safe Third Country Agreement, which says that refugees must make a claim at their first country of entry. If they traverse the United States but do not make a claim and instead try to claim asylum in Canada they can return to the United States, unless they meet exceptions. In recent months, asylum claims at the Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle border crossing have become more and more frequent, so frequent that the CBSA has had to install eight processing trailers and four sanitary trailers to accommodate their needs should the numbers continue to grow. Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our newsletters here .
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
