Four of the accused - Rashel Mirza, Mohammed Aminul Islam, Md Mudassar Alam Bhuiyan and Kazi Nafeez Alam - appeared at the Valleyfield courthouse in Quebec on 22 October, according to the agency
TBS Report
24 October, 2026, 12:20 pm
Last modified: 24 October, 2026, 12:26 pm
Canada's border agency has charged five individuals over an alleged immigration fraud scheme involving 209 Bangladeshi nationals and 243 temporary resident visa applications submitted across Quebec and Ontario.
The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) announced the charges on 22 October 2026, saying the network allegedly used false statements and fraudulent documents to obtain temporary resident visas (TRVs) by incorrectly identifying Canadian citizens as hosts for applicants.
Four of the accused - Rashel Mirza, Mohammed Aminul Islam, Md Mudassar Alam Bhuiyan and Kazi Nafeez Alam - appeared at the Valleyfield courthouse in Quebec on 22 October, according to the agency.
The fifth accused, Md Rakibul Hassan, is reportedly in Bangladesh, and an arrest warrant has been issued for him.
Given the scale and complexity of the alleged scheme, investigators focused their formal evidence on 79 of the 243 visa applications, which the CBSA described as the most probative.
The investigation began after CBSA officers, accompanied by police and fire department personnel from the town of Mercier, Quebec, conducted a compliance and control check on occupants of a private residence on 3 July 2024.
After identifying potential violations of Canada's Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA), the agency opened a criminal investigation in August 2024.
On 3 June 2025, CBSA criminal investigators executed four search warrants across Quebec and Ontario, collecting documents and computer equipment that linked the five individuals to the alleged scheme, according to the agency.
The accused face charges relating to conspiracy to organise illegal entry into Canada, counselling misrepresentation in immigration applications and counselling violations of the IRPA.
The charges concern provisions of the act covering the organisation or facilitation of illegal entry, knowingly assisting or encouraging misrepresentation or concealment of material facts, and knowingly assisting or encouraging violations of the law.
The CBSA said it launched 191 criminal investigations into suspected IRPA offences in 2025 and opened a further 55 between 1 January and 30 June 2026.
The agency urged members of the public to report suspected immigration fraud through its Border Watch line at 1-888-502-9060 or via its secure online reporting form.