A human smuggling network recently dismantled by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) is linked to the deaths of eight migrants who drowned in the St. Lawrence River while trying to illegally cross the border into the United States , Last year.
Members of two families — four people from India and four of Romanian origin — died in March 2023 while trying to cross the border in Akwesasne, a First Nations territory straddling Quebec, Ontario and New York State. Their bodies were taken out of the water on March 30 and 31.
On June 6, police announced they had arrested four people, including the alleged ringleader of a group of smugglers, and issued arrest warrants for four others. They were all part of a “large-scale human smuggling network that transported illegal migrants” to the United States, the RCMP said.
“Two of the eight accused have charges linking them to the transportation of the Indian family who perished,” said Corporal Angélique Dignard, operational support of the RCMP detachment in Cornwall, Ontario, in an interview Friday.
“The RCMP have laid charges against everyone they were going to lay charges against, so this group is no longer operational,” she said.
But police did not say whether the network was responsible for trafficking the Romanian family, who were apparently on the same boat.
The four deceased Indians were members of the Chaudhari family from the western Indian state of Gujarat. They included Praveenbhai Chaudhari, 50, his wife Dakshaben, 45, their son Meet, 20, and daughter Vidhi, 23.
The Romanian family was identified as Florin Iordache, 28; his wife, Cristina (Monalisa) Zenaida Iordache, 28 years old; their daughter Evelin, two years old, and their son Elyen, one year old. Both children were Canadian citizens.
Arrests and arrest warrants
Akwesasne resident Casey Oakes, whose name has emerged in connection with the case from the early days, was last seen the night before the first victims were found operating a boat found near their body. His body was found on the afternoon of July 3 near Ross Island, just over three months after the migrants were discovered.
Authorities say Akwesasne’s geography makes it a popular location for people smugglers and contraband.
The RCMP laid most of the charges against the alleged ringleader, Thesingarasan Rasiah, 51, of Montreal, who now faces a total of 36 charges.
According to a briefing document provided by the RCMP, Mr. Rasiah was already in custody for “breaching bail conditions in connection with an unrelated human smuggling investigation” when the RCMP issued an arrest warrant against him in June 2023.
“The ongoing investigation has revealed that approximately $1.4 million may have flowed through accounts linked to Mr. Rasiah over a one-year period,” it reads.
Another Montrealer, Joel Portillo, 38, was arrested on May 14 on 25 charges.
The charges for both men include conspiracy to organize, aid and abet persons coming to Canada and the United States, conspiracy to transfer or deal in goods or proceeds with intent to conceal them and possession of goods, products or objects obtained through an offense.
But four people wanted for their involvement in the group are still on the run.
Police have issued an arrest warrant for Justin Rourke, 43, of Saint-Régis, Quebec, but he is currently being held in the United States on unrelated charges.
Authorities are still searching for alleged organizer Shawna Etienne, 47, of Kanesatake, as well as suspected secondary transporters, Cheyenne Lewis, 51, of Akwesasne, and Tionna David, 21, of Saint-Regis.
Two others, Mary June Benedict of Akwesasne, 48, and Cornwall resident Michael McCormick, 47, turned themselves in last May and are awaiting court appearances.
“Although the alleged organizers lived primarily in Canada, the illegal migrants came primarily from India, Romania and Sri Lanka,” the document said, adding that the migrants were charged up to US$6,000 each to cross the border. and up to US$35,000 each to obtain travel documents.
Corporal Dignard hopes these arrests will act as a deterrent and encourage the public to alert police to smuggling activity, but says it would be naive to think others won’t try to smuggle people across the border.
“This is a crime that will unfortunately continue and the RCMP will continue to investigate,” she said.
The Canadian Border Services Agency declined The Canadian Press’ request for an interview.
Neither the Akwesasne Mohawk Police Service nor the U.S. Department of Homeland Security responded to requests for comment.