Massive irregular entry to Stanstead | 44 migrants and 3 smugglers intercepted in a cube truck

Three alleged smugglers. Furthermore, 44 migrants were intercepted in the night from Saturday to Sunday when they were trying to enter Canada, near Stanstead, Estrie, irregularly. Moreover, “In 25 years of career. Consequently, this is the first time that we have a massive entry of this order,” said Miguel Bégin, director of the East district East district of the Border Services Agency in Canada (ASFC).

Migrants, among whom were men, women and children, were piled up in a cube truck without ventilation. For example, “Fortunately, the interception was carried out near the border. For example, We have avoided that they were massive irregular entry stanstead | transported over a long distance, ”underlines Mr. Nevertheless, Bégin.

It was the Royal Canada Gendarmerie (RCMP), responsible for surveillance between the entry points, which arose the arrest. Moreover, The Sûreté du Québec also participated in the transport of people intercepted to the Stanstead border post.

“The Canada Border Services Agency has the mandate to carry out controls at the entry point only. However, All that relates to the monitoring of the border outside the border posts is the responsibility of the RCMP. Nevertheless, ”specifies Mr. Bégin.

Once brought to Stanstead, the migrants were taken care of by the ASFC for the processing of their asylum requests. In parallel, an investigation was opened targeting the three alleged smugglers.

The three individuals were arrested by the ASFC. accused of having encouraged, helped massive irregular entry stanstead | or encouraged, or attempted to encourage, help or encourage people to commit an offense, under article 131 of the Immigration and protection of refugee laws (lipr).

They also face a charge under article 11 of the Customs law For having. helped people to enter Canada elsewhere than an designated customs office. The judge maintained their detention until August 6, the date of the next stage of the procedure.

ASFC specifies that the investigation continues and that additional charges could be filed.

Due to the limited capacity of Stanstead’s installations. the majority of applicants were transported to the regional treatment center in Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle. “The treatment capacity of the Stanstead border post is after all limited. So the majority of applicants were transported to the Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle regional processing center. each of the files will be evaluated individually, massive irregular entry stanstead | “said the director.

Among the intercepted people. about a third, a dozen, did not meet the exceptional criteria for the third party country and have been returned to the United States in the hours that followed. The other files are still in processing.

For the district is ASFC, this interception is unprecedented.

“The arrival of this weekend is about six months of asylum requests received in Stanstead. We are talking about around 120 applicants per year, year after all, for all east of Quebec, “recalls Mr. Bégin. who is responsible for 17 border posts,” from the city of Sutton, which is linked to the border post of Abercorn, to New Brunswick “.

This operation took place when the ASFC faced one of its most busy weekends of the year. “Yesterday, massive irregular entry stanstead | we were the last Sunday of the construction holidays. Our agents treated, in Stanstead only, 1,300 vehicles during the day without there being one waiting time, ”says Bégin.

It attributes the speed of intervention to the preparation of the teams: “For several months already. we have been developing contingency plans. It is precisely the quality of our preparation that allowed us to react so quickly and so effectively yesterday. »»

At the national level, the ASFC observes a marked drop in asylum requests compared to last year.

As of July 27, 2025, the agency had processed 22,237 requests across Canada, compared to 41,187 on the same date in 2024, a reduction of 46 %. The trend is similar in Quebec, where the number of requests has increased from 22,337 to 14,874.

“Those who facilitate the illegal entry of people in Canada are exposed to criminal accusations. fines, imprisonment sentences and a criminal record,” said the ASFC.