Three arrested in suspected smuggling operation
By William Crooks
Local Journalism Initiative
In what authorities are describing as a high-risk case of suspected human smuggling, RCMP officers patrolling near the Canada–U.S. border overnight on Saturday, Aug. 3 intercepted a U-Haul truck loaded with dozens of migrants near Haskell Road, just south of Stanstead. The truck was carrying approximately 50 foreign nationals — including children and a pregnant woman — packed tightly in dangerously hot and cramped conditions.
RCMP Communications Officer Corporal Erique Gasse said the incident began around 2:20 a.m. during a routine patrol. “With all their experience… what they know about the region… they proceeded to investigate the truck,” he explained in an interview. “When they opened the door, they saw there were 44 people there. There were kids. There was a pregnant woman. They were all very compressed.”
The migrants told officers they had already walked roughly four kilometres on the U.S. side and crossed a river before being loaded into the truck. “They were wet,” Gasse said. “Our policemen came in at the right time… it could have been worse.”
Police provided emergency assistance on site. “They were dehydrated. Some were very cold,” Gasse said. “Our policemen gave them emergency recovery treatment… [the police] had water bottles, juice bottles… one of my colleagues… had a watermelon for his lunch and he gave that to people so they could hydrate.”
No ambulance was required, but the Sûreté du Québec (SQ) was called in to help transport the group to the Stanstead Highway 55 border crossing, where they were handed over to the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA). “Now the rest belongs to the CBSA,” Gasse said.
According to the CBSA, all individuals were arrested upon arrival at the border crossing. The agency confirmed that three men — Ogulcan Mersin (born Jan. 15, 2000), Dogan Alakus (born Sept. 28, 1993), and Firat Yuksek (born Apr. 21, 1994) — have been charged in connection with the incident.
The charges include inciting, aiding or abetting an offence under section 131 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, as well as a charge under section 11 of the Customs Act for assisting people in entering Canada outside a designated customs office. The three accused remain in detention until at least Aug. 6, pending further legal proceedings.
The foreign nationals intercepted in the incident are undergoing immigration examinations. Most of the asylum seekers have been transferred to the CBSA’s refugee processing centre in Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle. All asylum claims are subject to independent eligibility assessments, the CBSA noted.
In a statement, CBSA Media Relations Manager Guillaume Bérubé emphasized the dangers and consequences of illegal entry into Canada.
“Illegal entry into Canada presents several risks and dangers, both legally and in terms of security of the person,” Bérubé wrote. “People who attempt to enter Canada illegally by smuggling across the border can easily find themselves in vulnerable risky situations and may be exposed to extreme climatic and environmental conditions… leading to malnutrition or serious injury.”
The CBSA stated that it continues to investigate the matter and additional charges may still be laid. As the case is now before the courts, the agency said it could not provide further comment.
So far in 2025, the CBSA has processed 22,237 asylum applications across Canada as of July 27, down significantly from 41,187 during the same period in 2024 — a 46 per cent drop. In Quebec, 14,874 asylum applications have been received this year, compared to 22,337 in the same period last year.
Despite this overall decline, officials say they remain vigilant.
“The CBSA and the RCMP work alongside their partners to disrupt human smuggling networks and to combat international criminal organizations that seek to profit from the desperation and vulnerability of others,” the agency said in its statement.
As of publication, the CBSA had not released any information regarding the specific nationalities of those involved, citing privacy protections under the Privacy Act.