2 arrested, 5 rescued after RCMP search into smuggling operation in southwest Quebec

An RCMP Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter lands at the Canada Border Services Agency Lansdowne port of entry in Lansdowne, Ont., on Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025. (Spencer Colby / The Canadian Press) (Spencer Colby/The Canadian Press)

Following a tip from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, an RCMP search and rescue operation led to two arrests after five people were rescued near the Canada-U.S. border near Hinchinbrooke, Que.

The RCMP said that overnight from Saturday to Sunday, a 20-agent border patrol team out of Valleyfield conducted a nearly eight-hour search southwest of Montreal.

“When found, all five individuals were suffering from hypothermia and were unable to continue their journey,” the RCMP said in a news release. “The investigation found that they had just crossed illegally from the United States to Canada.”

The RCMP said a driver and alleged smuggler were arrested. The driver was detained, while the alleged smuggler was released on a promise to appear in court.

The RCMP used the recently chartered Black Hawk helicopter in addition to the emergency response team (ERT) in the operation.