Bail decision next week for alleged smugglers arrested at Quebec-U.S. border

By Canadian Press on September 5, 2025.

Three men charged with human smuggling after 44 migrants were found crammed inside a cube van in southern Quebec will find out next week if they’ll be granted bail.

Lawyers for Ogulcan Mersin, Dogan Alakus and Firat Yuksek made arguments in front of a Quebec court judge in Sherbrooke, Que., during a two-day bail hearing that ended Friday.

The evidence presented at the hearing is covered under a publication ban, and the judge will make a decision on Sept. 10.

The men were arrested at about 2:20 a.m. on Aug. 3 near Stanstead, Que., after police intercepted a cube truck near the U.S. border.

Crown prosecutors confirmed Thursday that the men are facing a new charge under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act — organizing entry into Canada of a group of 10 people or more.

They are now facing a total of three charges for allegedly smuggling the 44 migrants, who police say were mostly Haitian and included young children and a pregnant woman.

RCMP have described the conditions in the van as “horrific,” and said the migrants were dehydrated although not badly hurt.

A fourth suspect, Tolga Yilmaz, was arrested at Montreal Trudeau International Airport on Aug. 8 after allegedly trying to flee. Yilmaz was charged with two offences under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and the Customs Act.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 5, 2025.

The Canadian Press