The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) stopped a shipping container near Stanstead, Quebec, in the early morning of 3/8, after receiving a tip about a group of migrants planning to cross into Canada from the US inside the container.
Inside, they found 44 foreign nationals, including a pregnant woman and several children. "They were panicked, with little air to breathe, no water, and unable to sit down, forced to stand in a cramped space. They were left in truly horrifying conditions," RCMP spokesperson Charles Poirier said on 4/8.
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Canadian police at the US border in Quebec. Photo: Canadian Press |
Canadian police at the US border in Quebec. Photo: Canadian Press
Most of the migrants are Haitian citizens. They reported walking for two hours from the US before being picked up by the container. Canadian border officials arrested three individuals on human trafficking charges and are continuing their investigation.
This is the first time such a large group of undocumented migrants has been intercepted in Quebec. Provincial officials expressed concern about the potential for tragedy if such large groups become more common.
"I was quite surprised by the incident. 44 people in one container. It's very dangerous; these are human beings. I'm glad our border patrol did their job," said Stanstead Mayor Jody Stone.
Canada is currently implementing a $1.3 billion border security enhancement plan, hiring thousands more law enforcement personnel and increasing aerial surveillance.
Duc Trung (Canadian Press, CBC)
