Human smuggling charge laid against Winnipeg man: RCMP

A map shows the location of Emerson, Man. and Road 18 East, where alleged human smuggling occurred. (CTV News Winnipeg)

A 42-year-old Winnipeg man has been charged with human smuggling following an investigation near a Canada-U.S. border crossing in Manitoba.

According to RCMP, officers from its integrated border enforcement team became aware of an illegal crossing roughly seven kilometres east of Emerson near Road 18 East.

Officers from several detachments attended the area and a found an SUV with several people and luggage inside. A traffic stop took place and six people were arrested under the Customs Act, while the driver was arrested on a human smuggling charge.

RCMP said one man arrested was a permanent resident of Canada, two men and one woman were from the Republic of Chad, one man was from the Republic of Sudan and one man was from Mauritania. They ranged in age from 30 to 53 years old. They were turned over to the Canada Border Services Agency for processing.

The driver, Semere Haile, was charged with one count of human smuggling. He was released on multiple conditions and appeared in court on October 7.

The charge against Haile has not been proven in court.