In Québec City, Madani El-Behi and Musavye Adelald have pleaded guilty to employing 71 workers without valid work permits in Canada, an investigation led by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) has revealed.
The investigation, which started in July 2021, focused on activities from September 2021 to July 2022, predominantly in the agrifood sector.
The guilty plea was entered on October 13 at the Québec City courthouse. This followed a series of nine search warrants executed at various locations linked to the two individuals, including their placement agency, the companies receiving the labor, and Adelald’s vehicle. These searches uncovered substantial incriminating evidence, including $90,000 in cash, believed to be proceeds of crime. Six warrants were carried out on July 29, 2022, with the remaining three on February 15, 2023.
El-Behi and Adelald have each received a 12-month suspended prison sentence and are ordered to complete 120 and 180 hours of community service, respectively.
Annie Beauséjour, Regional Director General for the Quebec Region of the CBSA, stated, “The charges announced today by the Canada Border Services Agency reflect our commitment to maintaining the country’s immigration system. We investigate people who illegally hire foreign workers and hold them responsible.”
The CBSA is tasked with identifying, investigating, and prosecuting individuals and organizations violating the Customs Act and the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. The public is encouraged to report suspicious immigration activities to the CBSA. For more information on cross-border currency reporting, individuals can visit the CBSA website.
