News release

Charges laid in two human smuggling files

February 7, 2025 - Valleyfield, Quebec
From: Federal Policing Eastern Region

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Two investigations by RCMP Federal Policing – Eastern Region have resulted in charges laid against three individuals who allegedly facilitated illegal border crossings from the United States to Canada.

The first investigation, led by Valleyfield RCMP officers, began on May 1, 2024, when a vehicle was intercepted in Ormstown, in the Montérégie region. It was headed towards an unguarded border crossing to pick up a group of people who had crossed illegally into Canada. According to the investigation, the driver of the vehicle, Muhammet Akca, 41, is alleged to have conspired to facilitate the illegal crossing of several people in 2024. Mr. Akca is being charged with conspiracy to commit an offence under section 465 of the Criminal Code. He is scheduled to appear at the Valleyfield courthouse on March 3, 2025.

The second investigation, also conducted by the Valleyfield Detachment, involved two individuals who were arrested on November 15, 2024, in a vehicle in Franklin, in the Montérégie region. The two subjects were allegedly planning to pick up two individuals who had illegally crossed the border from the US into Canada. Adrian Jose Herrera Tabares, 34, and Frangeli Coromoto Guzman Espinoza, 28, are each facing one count under section 124(1)(a) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. They are scheduled to appear at the Valleyfield courthouse on April 25, 2025.

In addition to these two cases, thirteen other investigations led to charges at the Valleyfield courthouse in 2024 related to illegal crossings at the Canada-US border.

Ensuring border integrity

The RCMP works with many Canadian and American law enforcement partners, playing an important role in protecting the Canada-US border. Human smuggling is a criminal enterprise that spans the globe. Smugglers facilitate the entry of people into Canada or the United States by illegal means, while making a profit from them. By charging their passengers large sums of money to transport them, human smugglers have turned illegal migration into a lucrative business.

Appeal to the public

Do you have information on the illegal activities of individuals or groups of individuals? Contact the RCMP at 514 939-8300/1 800 771-5401 or your local police department.

Contacts