RCMP say four people have been arrested in a large-scale human smuggling ring they allege funnelled migrants into the United States illegally.
Mounties say they started investigating an alleged human smuggling operation in the Cornwall, Ont., area in 2022.
They allege that between July 2022 and June of last year, the group smuggled hundreds of “desperate” migrants through communities along the St. Lawrence River and across the border.
RCMP allege the smugglers charged migrants thousands of dollars, and some migrants died due to dangerous night-time crossings.
They say that aside from the four suspects arrested, warrants have been issued for the arrest of four others.
The suspects are from Ontario and Quebec, and are between 21 and 51 years old.