The RCMP’s new Black Hawk helicopters, intended to patrol the U.S.-Canada border near Emerson, Man., are already noticeable, municipal officials say.
Emerson-Franklin reeve Dave Carlson told 680 CJOB’s Connecting Winnipeg that the sound of the helicopters is already present in the area — and that he feels the increased border security will make a positive impact.
The choppers first hit the air Sunday, and Carlson said they’re hard to miss.
“It’s quite the thing. Actually one flew over me as I was driving on the highway, and I was wondering, ‘What the heck is that noise?’ I looked up and saw it just going overhead.”
The helicopters have RCMP officers on board who can respond quickly to illegal activity spotted from the air, as well as helping to direct police on the ground at the border.
The Mounties say the helicopters are intended to target illegal entry into Canada, as well as drug and weapons trafficking.
“Whether it’s human trafficking or smuggling or you have drugs or guns coming across the border — going either way, obviously — you just don’t want to see it,” Carlson said.
“Especially now, as we’ve had some extreme weather conditions here, and if this is going to act as a deterrent, I think that’s a really welcome thing.”
Newly-inaugurated U.S. President Donald Trump has made threats to impose steep tariffs on goods crossing the border from Canada if the country doesn’t stem the flow of illegal migrants and guns entering the U.S.
The Emerson crossing has made news in recent years in connection to human smuggling cases. Eight people — mainly migrants from Africa — were arrested attempting to cross the border last fall. Three years ago, a family of four from India was found near the border, frozen to death, after being dropped off by alleged human smugglers during a blizzard in -35C conditions.
“Emerson has been one of the epicenters of Canada for the migrant crossings and things like that, and there are drugs and guns that kind of go back and forth,” Carlson said. “It’s part of the mid-continent trade corridor.”
