By Brook Wagner, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Medicine Hat News
The Canada Border Services Agency is warning Canadians that criminal networks are recruiting travellers, especially youth and young adults, to smuggle drugs across borders.
The agency posted the warning Monday as part of Cyber Security Awareness Month. It said it is working with the RCMP and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre to help people spot the tactics used to recruit young people.
“When crime goes digital, your awareness is your best defence,” CBSA said online.
CBSA says recruiters often target people with no criminal record. They use fake job offers, promises of free paid travel, dating apps and social media to build trust. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
From there criminals may do things like ask the person to carry a package or a locked suitcase without saying whats inside. They often use tactics to pressure, manipulate or coerce victims into carrying these items.
Other tricks include switching luggage tags at the airport and asking guests at short-term rentals to hold mailed packages, the CBSA said.
The agency says warning signs include anyone who moves the chat to a private app, demands secrecy, or controls your travel route.
Consequences abroad can be severe. Travellers face local laws, not Canadian ones. Penalties can reach years in prison, life imprisonment, or the death penalty, even for a small amount. The agency said being Canadian does not bring special treatment.
CBSA also says recruiters often took for people in financial trouble or short on money. These criminals sometimes scouring locations like hostels, soup kitchens and shelters for unsuspecting victims.
To stay safe the agency said travellers should pack their own bags, never carry items for others and walk away from offers that seem hard to believe or far-fetched.
If arrested abroad, Canadians must ask local authorities to contact Canadian consular officials. The Agency says the officials can help, but there is no guarantee of getting someone out of prison.
People can report tips to the CBSA Border Watch Line at 1-888-502-9060.
