Three people face charges after separate investigations by Canada Border Services Agency uncovered suspected child pornography.
CBSA officials announced the arrests and seizures Wednesday.
The most recent occurred at the Pacific Highway crossing Dec. 5, after a search of a northbound bus passenger’s luggage found suspicious images on a laptop. A U.S. resident was arrested and the laptop and other devices were seized. The traveller was released on conditions and is to appear in court in January.
A similar arrest Dec. 5 occurred at the Vancouver airport, after officers found suspected child pornography on a traveller’s laptop. The device was seized, along with multiple flash drives, a portable hard drive and two cellphones. The traveller – a foreign national – was arrested, refused entry and left Canada.
Dec. 2, border officers examining a boat at Fraser Surrey Docks discovered “numerous child exploitation images” on a laptop found hidden behind a case of bottled water.
One crew member was arrested and remains in custody; the laptop was seized.
The seizures were among 26 made by border officers in the Pacific Region – which includes the Pacific Highway and Douglas crossings – so far this year involving images of child exploitation.
Suspected child pornography was also found on the laptop of a bus passenger who arrived at the Pacific Highway border on Sept. 16.
Region executive director Kim Scoville said the cases show “that those who prey on children operate globally, without regard to borders.”