Human smuggling charge stayed against man accused of helping foreign nationals cross Manitoba-U.S. border

CBC News

· Posted: Apr 15, 2025 6:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 9 minutes ago

A Calgary antheral who was arrested for quality smuggling aft helium was accused of helping 7 overseas nationals illegally transverse the Canadian borderline into Manitoba past twelvemonth has had that complaint stayed, the nationalist prosecuting authorization says.

Saleh Youssouf, 50, was charged nether the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, shortly after RCMP alleged helium was recovered driving a rented conveyance carrying 7 men conscionable northbound of the Canada-United States borderline connected Jan. 27, 2024.

However, that complaint has since been stayed, a Public Prosecution Service of Canada spokesperson told CBC News.

No reasons arsenic to wherefore the tribunal proceedings were stayed were provided connected the court's record, the spokesperson said.

A rented vehicle was stopped at the intersection of provincial roads 200 and 201 adjacent Dominion City, Man., after RCMP said they were tipped off by the United States Border Patrol astir a radical of radical walking northbound on a obstruction enactment toward the Canadian borderline adjacent Emerson, Man., astir 3:45 a.m. on Jan. 27, 2024.

They appeared to beryllium wearing due wintertime clothing, and were apt to transverse into Canada wrong the hour, RCMP said.

The men successful the conveyance ranged successful property from 27 to 49 and were from the Republic of Chad successful north-central Africa, according to RCMP.

The different men successful the conveyance were arrested nether the Customs Act and turned implicit to Canada Border Services Agency migration officers astatine the Emerson larboard of entry, RCMP said.