In a coordinated effort, officers from the RCMP Federal Policing Northwest Region’s Integrated Border Enforcement Team (IBET) and the United States Border Patrol successfully intercepted a border incursion west of the Gretna Canada Border Services Agency Port of Entry.
At approximately 10:30 pm, officers detected individuals crossing the border from the United States into Canada. The subjects were picked up by a lone male driving a rental vehicle. A swift response led to a traffic stop, resulting in the arrest of eight individuals under the Customs Act and the driver.
The arrested individuals included four males and one female from the Republic of Chad, two males from the Republic of Sudan, and one female from the Republic of Guinea, all aged between 19 and 48 years old. They were taken to the Emerson RCMP Detachment for further processing.
Abshir Mohamed Osman, a 35-year-old Somali national residing in Winnipeg, was charged with human smuggling under section 117 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. He was released on several conditions and is scheduled to appear in Emerson Provincial Court on October 16, 2024.
Sgt. Lance Goldau, head of the IBET in Manitoba, praised the collaboration with the U.S. Border Patrol, stating, “We were able to interview all eight subjects with the assistance of RCMP officers who speak French and Arabic. After our processes were completed, all of the migrants were turned over to Canada Border Services Agency for their processing, and we continue with the smuggling investigation against the suspect. 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.”
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