Thread: Human smuggling ring dismantled by Canada and the United Sta

http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/arch ... c2347.html

Attention News Editors:

Human smuggling ring dismantled by Canada and the United States

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.
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.

For further information: RCMP Contacts: Cst. Annette Bernardon, RCMP
Windsor Detachment, (519) 948-5287 office; Cpl. Michele Paradis, RCMP
Corporate Communications and Media Relations, (416) 952-4619 office,
(416) 992-4409 cellphone; ICE Contact: Greg Palmore, (313) 446-3745 office;
CBSA Contact: Danny Yen, CBSA Media Relations, (519) 818-7934 cellphone,
(519) 967-4005 office

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/arti ... 1/60214014

International human smuggling ring faces charges in U.S. and Canada
By DAVID ASHENFELTER
FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER

February 14, 2006

An international ring that smuggled more than 100 Chinese, Albanian and other illegal immigrants in both directions across the U.S.-Canadian border during the past two years was dismantled Tuesday with the arrests of more than a dozen people in Metro Detroit and Canada.

The ring charged the immigrants thousands of dollars to be smuggled across the border by car, truck, boat and freight train - sometimes in sub-zero temperatures -- U.S. and Canadian authorities said at a news conference Tuesday in Windsor.

Most of the illegal immigrants, who are now in custody, were headed to New York City to work in brothels and sweatshops to work off their debts, authorities said.

“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,â€

http://www.cbc.ca/story/canada/national ... 60214.html

Police arrest 17 in alleged people-smuggling ring
Last Updated Tue, 14 Feb 2006 19:36:16 EST
CBC News
Law enforcement officials say they've broken up a major operation that smuggled people across the Canada-U.S. border, arresting 17 people in four cities on Tuesday.

The early morning arrests took place Toronto, Windsor, Detroit and New York, with 11 people facing charges in Canada.


RCMP Insp. Glenn Hanna
They marked the culmination of a two-year investigation by the RCMP, the Canada Border Services Agency and the immigration and customs section of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, with the help of other police services.

Police officials said the alleged ring was one of the largest cross-border smuggling operations.

"It would be fair to say that the majority of crossings of migrants irregularly across the border [in] the Windsor and Sarnia area over the six months has been done by this organization," said RCMP Insp. Glenn Hanna, who is in charge of the immigration and passport sections in the Toronto area.

"And we have been aware of almost all of those crossings," he told a news conference in Windsor.

In the course of their investigation, officials arrested 24 people who were heading north into Canada and at least 74 others who were heading south into the United States.

The illegal immigrants originally came from China, Korea, Albania and Eastern Europe, the force said.


Immigrants shipped by boat, train, truck

Hanna said the smugglers were paid thousands of dollars per immigrant and used a variety of means to transport them – often with total disregard for their safety

"Migrants were hidden in the trunk of automobiles, on railcars, in the back of transport trucks and on small boats."

Hanna said the immigrants stayed in safe houses in Toronto, then were shipped to the United States through Sarnia and Windsor.


Officials credit tighter co-operation

Officials also said the investigation saw unprecedented co-operation between Canadian and U.S. agencies, which they credited to regulations brought in after the Sept. 11 attacks in the United States.
"Attacking and dismantling these criminal groups is critical to securing our borders and insuring compliance with our immigration and customs laws."

Brian Moskowitz, a U.S. immigration enforcement official, said the United States and Canada must continue working together to continue fight human smuggling.

Convictions could lead to life in prison

Justice officials said the people arrested in the United States could face as much as 10 years in prison and $250,000 US in fines on each count, if convicted.

In Canada, each charge carries a maximum penalty of up to $1 million in fines and life in prison.

Those charged in connection with the case were expected to appear in a Toronto court on Wednesday.