2 arrested, 5 rescued in search operation near Canada-U.S. border

A search and rescue operation near the Canada-U.S. border led to the rescue of five people and the arrest of two individuals on Sunday.

The RCMP says its operation involved 20 officers and took around eight hours. When found, all five individuals were suffering from hypothermia and had been unable to continue their trek.

The RCMP says its investigation found that they had just crossed illegally from the United States to Canada, and were located around Hinchinbrooke, in the Montérégie region of Quebec.

A driver and an alleged smuggler were arrested. A statement from the RCMP says the smuggler was released on a promise to appear and will face charges, and the driver was taken into custody by the Canada Border Services Agency.

Canadian authorities say the border enforcement team began the search based on a tip from the United States Border Patrol (USBP).

The Black Hawk helicopter, recently chartered to support border protection efforts, was engaged in the operation, according to the RCMP.