On Christmas evening, nineteen Haitian migrants were apprehended in Montérégie’s Havelock area for unlawfully crossing into Canada from the United States.
Among the group were individuals aged one to 60, including a three-year-old child.
Canadian authorities were alerted by the United States Border Patrol before 6 p.m. on Thursday, leading to the involvement of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).
Officers, with support from various border police teams, located a first group of 15 individuals hidden in the woods around 7 p.m. after an extensive search that lasted until 10:30 p.m. due to the harsh winter conditions.
Eight individuals were hospitalized, with six requiring treatment for frostbite. The two young children were also taken to the hospital as a precaution, with their lives deemed to be out of immediate danger.
All intercepted individuals have sought asylum, and their cases are now being handled by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA).
Furthermore, a man suspected of intending to pick up some migrants with his car near the scene was arrested, and his vehicle was confiscated.
The RCMP emphasized the dangers of attempting illegal border crossings, particularly in winter when individuals are often ill-prepared to face the cold.
Keyphrase: Haitian migrants arrested