Sign up for the battlefordsNOW newsletter

U.S. officials arrest 3 in Sask. human smuggling case

Apr 20, 2017 | 12:38 PM

Three arrests have been made by U.S. Customs and Border Protection stemming from human smuggling along the Saskatchewan-North Dakota border.

Officials confirmed two Canadian citizens were arrested and one Nigerian.

The arrests were made in the same area that the RCMP found Michelle Omoruyi with nine West Africans in her car, crossing illegally somewhere between the North Portal and Northgate ports of entry. 

RCMP has charged her with human smuggling and conspiracy to commit human smuggling.

In a news conference held Wednesday, RCMP confirmed the now four-month long investigation between both U.S. and Canadian border officials is ongoing.

It began around Christmas with information received from a male Canadian resident travelling back into Canada.

When he crossed back into the border four months later, evidence indicated human smuggling was happening.

RCMP would not provide any details on the gender, age or nationality of the asylum seekers, nor would they say the nationality of Omoruyi.

 

Email smills@cjme.com

Twitter @smillsSK