The RCMP logo is seen outside Royal Canadian Mounted Police “E” Division Headquarters, in Surrey, B.C., on Friday, April 13, 2018. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck)
A five-month investigation by Manitoba RCMP, following a traffic stop in Headingley, has ended with a Quebec man being charged with human trafficking.
Officers pulled over an erratic driver in Headingley on January 19 and determined a physical altercation had taken place among the vehicle’s occupants.
The driver became combative with police and was arrested. Officers also discovered he had a number of warrants for his arrest from Quebec and Ontario. Upon searching the vehicle, they found multiple weapons, including a conducted energy weapon.
On Tuesday, police re-arrested and charged Jean Francois D’Asti-Brideau, 26, of Laval, Quebec, with human trafficking. He was located in Kamloops, B.C.
Police say it was learned the female passenger in the vehicle during January’s traffic stop was a victim of human trafficking and was being transported from Quebec.
“Human trafficking is the recruitment, harbouring, and/or transporting of victims,” said Sgt. Morgan Page of Manitoba RCMP Major Crime Services.
“This is the type of crime that is not always easy to see. In this instance, an RCMP officer with our Central Traffic Services unit was aware of what to look for and saw signs that this couple were not what they appeared to be and called us in. This was a great heads up move by that officer, and we were able to liaise with police agencies in other provinces to further this investigation.”
D’Asti-Brideau remains in custody and has been transported to Winnipeg.
RCMP continue to investigate.
