The RCMP alleges that Mr. Al-Awaid was counseling and assisting foreign nationals through fraudulent means to obtain permanent residence status and Canadian Citizenship.
Hassan Al-Awaid faces a total of 53 charges including:
– 22 charges of counseling/misrepresentation, Section 126 IRPA;
– 22 charges of misrepresentation, Section 127(a) IRPA; and
– 9 charges of false representation, Section 29(2)(a) Citizenship Act (four of these charges were laid on Dec. 22nd, 2010).
“This case is an excellent example of collaboration between agencies, and demonstrates how working together with Citizenship and Immigration Canada we disrupted an organized crime group,” said Staff Sergeant Terry Quinn, of the Atlantic Region Immigration and Passport Section.
The RCMP Atlantic Region Immigration and Passport Section (ARIPS)is responsible for Criminal enforcement of the Immigration Refugee Protection Act (IRPA), Citizenship Act and Criminal Code violations related to Citizenship offences, Canada Passport offences, frauds, forgeries and conspiracies.
The primary objectives of ARIPS are to Combat and disrupt organized migrant smuggling and the trafficking of persons, with a priority to national security investigations.
Hassan Al-Awaid will appear in Halifax Provincial Court, at 09:30 a.m. on March 4th, 2011.