Saskatchewan RCMP charge woman with human smuggling

RCMP say they have charged a woman with human smuggling after intercepting nine refugee claimants crossing the border into Saskatchewan from the United States.

Mounties say the nine came over at a point between the North Portal and Northgate border crossings on Friday.

They say a 43-year-old woman driving north was arrested after being stopped with nine people from West Africa in her vehicle.

RCMP say a significant amount of cash was found in a Regina home which was searched the following day.

“A fair portion of this currency was foreign currency,” RCMP Insp. Donovan Fisher said Wednesday.

“At this time we have enlisted the services of our proceeds of crime experts to analyse the money, analyse the situation around which the money was found and any supporting documents that were included with that, including potentially looking at bank records.”

Police say the United States Border Patrol has arrested several other people related to the same investigation, but no details have been released.

Michelle Omoruyi is charged with human smuggling and conspiracy to commit human smuggling.

She is to appear in court in Estevan on May 15.

The people being transported were processed by border services agents and released pending resolution of the refugee claims.

Hamilton, Ont. police officers march along the parade route during the annual Pride Parade in Toronto, Sunday, July 3, 2016. The union representing Toronto’s police officers is urging the city to pull an annual grant to Canada’s largest Pride parade after the event banned police floats.