The Royal Canada Gendarmerie (RCMP) and the Canada Border Services Agency (ASFC) arrested a fourth suspect linked to illegal entrance to the country of 44 people intercepted in a Cube truck on August 3 near Stanstead.
In a statement released on Tuesday, the RCMP wrote that the authorities arrested Tolga Yilmaz, 34, at Montreal-Trudeau airport, while it was about to leave Canada on August 8.
Mr. Yilmaz faces the same “two counts under the Immigration and protection of refugee law (LIPR) and Customs law That the three other individuals already arrested, ”read in the press release which indicates that the individual appeared at the courthouse on August 9 and that he remains detained while waiting for the continuation of the procedures.
“Horrible” conditions
RCMP spokesperson Charles Poirier explained, on August 4, that the police had intercepted a van around 2:20 a.m. on the night of 3 to 4, after receiving a group of migrants who planned to cross the border from the United States.
He said that among the migrants were a pregnant woman and children barely four years old.
They were dehydrated, “visibly distraught” and cramped when the police found them, he added.
“They lacked air, no one had water, and with the children and the restricted space, they could not sit on the ground, they had to stand,” he explained Monday during a telephone interview.
“They were left in just horrible conditions, really. »»
Three suspects had been arrested
On August 6, Ogulcan Mersin, 25, Dogan Alakus and Firat Yuksek, both aged 31, had appeared by videoconference before judge Hélène Fabi at the Sherbrooke courthouse.
Judge Fabi had indicated to the three detainees that they were forbidden to get in touch, directly or indirectly, with a person named Tolga.
If they contacted this individual, had warned the judge, other charges would be brought.
Dogan Alakus then explained to judge Fabi that the person named Tolga was on board the vehicle during the arrest of the three suspects.
Me Jonathan Poir, a lawyer for the legal aid who represented the three men, had then advised the suspects “not to speak”, because what they said “could be used against them”.
Ogulcan Mersin, Dogan Alakus and Firat Yuksek will remain held until their next appearance on August 28.
