Human smuggling ring dismantled by Canada and the United States

Royal Canadian Mounted Police | 14 FEB 06 | RCMP

[Banat]

WINDSOR, ON and DETROIT, MI, Feb. 14 /CNW/ - An international ring, which smuggled people from several countries both ways across the Canada - United States border, was rolled up today after an international investigation.

Early this morning, fourteen people were arrested in Toronto, Windsor, Detroit and New York City. This is the latest move in a two year long investigation conducted by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), the United States Department of Homeland Security Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA).

As a result of information received during this investigation over 100 migrants were arrested as they attempted to cross the border. Twenty-four from the United States into Canada, and the remainder from Canada into the United States.

Facing charges in Canada are:

1) Maitham Aziz ALZEHRANI, age 34, of Elliot Street, Windsor, Ontario. 2) Violette AZIZ, age 42, of Meadowbrook Lane, Windsor, Ontario. 3) Kola BAJRAKTARI, age 33, of University Ave West, Windsor, Ontario. 4) Duke BRACAJ, age 36, of Eastcourt Drive, Windsor, Ontario. 5) Fran GASHAJ, age 40, of Polonia Park Place, Windsor, Ontario. 6) Abdullah Falah TARIUTASH, age 48, of Leduc Street, Windsor, Ontario. 7) Doc PHAN, age 42, of Bruce Avenue, Leamington, Ontario. 8) Abraham ALKIWANI, age 47, of Rathburn Road, Toronto, Ontario. 9) Julian BAKALLI, age 34, of Howard Avenue, Windsor, Ontario. 10) Llir JUNCEVIC, age 35, of Lillian Avenue, Windsor, Ontario. 11) Nos CAMAJ, age 38, of Ongaro Court, Windsor, Ontario.

Police are alleging that migrants from China, Korea, Albania, and Eastern Europe arrived in North America and were then smuggled across the Canada-United States border using many different methods. Migrants where hidden in the trunks of automobiles, on rail cars, in the back of transport trucks, and on small boats.

"There was a complete disregard for the safety of these migrants who paid thousands of dollars to a gang for the "privilege" of being treated worse than cattle," stated Inspector Glenn Hanna, Officer in Charge of the RCMP Greater Toronto Area Immigration and Passport Sections. "Thanks to the dedication and perseverance of our law enforcement men and women on both sides of the border, we were able to make these arrests today."

"Alien smuggling organizations are driven by greed with little regard to the health, well being, dignity or motivation of their human cargo," said Brian M. Moskowitz, Special Agent in Charge, of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Detroit. "Attacking and dismantling these criminal groups is critical to securing our borders and ensuring compliance with our immigration and customs laws. Smugglers should understand that we will not tolerate nor allow the US-Canadian border to be used as an opportunity for them to profit from their crimes - rather we will use our shared border as an opportunity for our nations to work together to bring them to justice."

"The smuggling of people is a problem that transcends international borders," noted Pete DiPonio, Regional Director General, CBSA (Windsor-St.Clair Region) "To effectively combat cross-border criminal activity law enforcement agencies must take an international approach to their investigations. Today's arrests demonstrate exactly how an integrated investigation by Canadian and American law enforcement agencies is the most effective way to combat organized criminal activity across our shared border."

This investigation would not have been possible without the help and full cooperation of the following agencies: the Canadian Pacific Railway Police, Windsor Police Service, the Ontario Provincial Police, the Windsor-Sarnia Integrated Border Enforcement team and the United States Border Patrol.

Further arrests are anticipated in this case.

[madison10]

Good job!

[ConsentofGoverned]

looks like one coyote dropped a dime on a competing smuggler group..one down thousands more to go.

[Sensei Ern]

This traffic is also used to make online porn. These people are slime.