On April 13th, 2025, three foreign nationals were spotted crossing into Canada via the Fort Erie train bridge to a waiting vehicle on the Canadian side.
One individual was apprehended immediately, a second migrant escaped on foot and was later apprehended. A third migrant managed to enter a waiting vehicle, and while fleeing the scene, nearly struck several of the RCMP Border Integrity Members who were responding. On April 23, the migrant, along with the driver of the vehicle, turned themselves in to police.
Alexander Cardenas, a Cuban national, was transferred to the Peace Bridge port of entry in Fort Erie. After being assessed by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), the subject was found to be ineligible to enter Canada and was subsequently returned to the US.
The driver of the vehicle, Yenny Justo, is the wife of Cardenas. She has been arrested and faces charges for Dangerous Operation of a Conveyance (Sec. 320.13 of the Criminal Code), Conspiracy and Fail to Report under the Customs Act (Sec. 465(1)(c) of the Criminal Code). Justo was held for a bail hearing in St. Catharines court.
The Niagara-on-the-Lake RCMP Border Integrity Unit currently maintains a 24/7 presence at the railway bridge. The RCMP have arrested several people attempting to make illegal entry into Canada since this new presence was initiated. All individuals arrested were processed by the CBSA in accordance with the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) and subsequently found to be inadmissible to Canada. They were returned to the U.S.
Members of the Niagara-on-the-Lake RCMP are actively conducting patrols along the border in this area on land, water and air to disrupt cross-border criminal activity.
The RCMP is committed to working with our partners to protect the residents and communities of Canada. Our collaboration with local police partners and the CBSA continues to provide positive results for Canada.
The strategic deployment of RCMP Border Integrity Officers between the Ontario Ports of Entry has proven to be a successful tactic in preventing illegal migration into Canada. Our Border Integrity Officers work with our CBSA partners, 24/7, enforcing Canada's borders."
- Superintendent Dale Foote, Officer IN Charge of Central Region (Ontario) Border Integrity
"Our strong partnership with the RCMP has enabled the continued success in apprehending those circumventing legal immigration routes. The diligent work of our Canada Border Services Agency inland team led to the identity and location of the subjects in this case." - Abeid Morgan, Director, Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) Intelligence and Enforcement Operations Division
Fast Facts
In Canada, border security and integrity is a shared mandate between the RCMP and the CBSA. The RCMP is responsible for protecting over 9,000 kilometres of Canada's border between ports of entry, while the CBSA.
The RCMP Niagara-on-the-Lake Border Integrity Unit is tasked with the prevention and detection of the cross-border smuggling both to and from Canada. This unit supports four CBSA ports of entry by conducting larger criminal investigations that start at the port. The unit is also tasked with protecting the border area between the ports from Cobourg on Lake Ontario to Port Burwell on Lake Erie. The members of the unit will often be found in boats ensuring vessels are complying with reporting requirements when entering Canada.
If you have any information related to smuggling, drug importation, trafficking, or possession, or wish to report other criminality, you can contact the Ontario RMP at 1-800-387-0020, the confidential CBSA Border Watch toll-free line at 1-888-502-9060 or anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), at any time.