By Jorge Barrera
APTN National News
A Canadian border guard stationed at a controversial customs post on the edge of Akwesasne has been snared in a massive child porn sweep launched by the OPP.
The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) on Friday confirmed border agent Mathieu Pahle was charged by the OPP with possesion of child porgnography. Pahle, 32, was stationed at the customs border post in Cornwall, Ont., which is situated at the foot of a new low-level bridge which spans the St. Lawrence River and connects to Cornwall Island in Akwesasne.
“The CBSA has been alerted to the incident and we are fully co-operating with the police. We can confirm that Mathieu Pahle is a CBSA employee,” said the statement. “Allegations of improper or illegal behaviour by our staff are taken very seriously by the CBSA and are thoroughly investigated by CBSA’s professional standards investigation section.”
The agency said it could not comment any further on the issue because it is now a criminal matter in the hands of the court.
The statement did not say whether Pagle is still on the job or if any of CBSA’s computers became part of the investigation
Pahle is scheduled appear in Cornwall provincial court on Oct. 30.
The OPP executed a total of 99 search warrants across the province during its anti-child porn operation. The Ontario police agency said it charged 60 people with a total of about 249 counts of child pornography related infractions. OPP investigators also identified 14 child victims during the investigation.
The Cornwall CBSA border post also acts as a check-point which routinely screens individuals leaving Cornwall Island, even if they never left Canada. Akwesasne’s Cornwall Island is within Canadian territory.
Many residents on the island complain of harassment by CBSA agents at the border post which must be crossed when travelling to Cornwall. Mundane trips for shopping or for medical appointments can be interrupted by orders to submit to secondary inspection, even if the individual never left Canada.
CBSA agents are legally allowed to order secondary inspections for anyone crossing a border post.
The border post once sat on the island, but Akwesasne forced its relocation after the community refused to allow armed border guards on Mohawk land.
Akwesasne straddles the Canada-U.S. border about 120 kilometres west of Montreal. The region has gained notoriety as a high traffic smuggling route for tobacco, marijuana, people and weapons.
@JorgeBarrera
