A sophisticated human smuggling organization based in Montreal compromised international travel security through its alleged ties to a global network trafficking in forged Canadian passports, according to RCMP files obtained by CBC News.
Authorities say the organization, under investigation since July 2022, had the ability to bypass standard immigration and security protocols, posing a threat to Canada’s national security. The RCMP-led probe, dubbed Project O-ctopus, uncovered links between the smuggling network and international operatives, including individuals who allegedly had “insider” access to embassies capable of issuing visas for a fee.
Investigators obtained cellphone data, surveillance footage, and travel records, revealing a larger smuggling network that extended across multiple countries. Among the findings were counterfeit Canadian passports and visas, as well as connections to key transit points like Istanbul, Dubai, and Panama. One operative, identified as “Faiz from Dubai,” appeared to facilitate the movement of individuals around passport scanners at major international airports.
The investigation linked the smuggling operation to the deaths of nine people—including two families—who drowned in the St. Lawrence River in March 2023 while attempting to enter the U.S. The alleged ringleader, Thesingarasan Rasiah, was arrested in June 2023 and charged with multiple human smuggling-related offenses in May 2024.
While Rasiah faces no charges for passport forgery, investigators found videos of forged Canadian passports that convincingly mimicked security features, including ultra-violet authentication and electronic chip verification. Criminology expert Kelly Sundberg called the counterfeit documents “incredibly impressive” and warned that Canada’s passport system remains vulnerable to sophisticated fraud.
Authorities also uncovered communications from contacts claiming to have “visa approval insiders” in embassies across Canada, the U.S., France, and Mexico. One message suggested an individual was facilitating the entry of 35 people into Canada. Financial records show a transfer of over $377,000 CAD from Rasiah to a contact linked to Guinea-Bissau’s ambassador, raising concerns about political connections aiding illicit travel.
Canadian border authorities confirmed that at least one forged passport contained a real Canadian passport number belonging to another individual. The discovery has reignited debates over the security of Canada’s travel documents, with experts calling for biometric identifiers such as fingerprints and retinal scans to prevent counterfeiting.
As the case unfolds, Project O-ctopus highlights the vulnerabilities in global travel networks and the ease with which sophisticated smugglers can exploit international transit routes.
Source: Swifteradio.com
