After becoming suspicious of three travellers stopped at a COVID-19 checkpoint, RCMP officers made a big discovery.

At 8:35 p.m. on August 6, RCMP officers were called to a COVID-19 community checkpoint near Norway House. RCMP say they had been called by community members, saying three people hoping to cross the checkpoint together were acting suspiciously.

RCMP say they were told the men from Quebec refused to answer questions at the checkpoint and appeared to not know where they were going.

Responding to the call, RCMP pulled the vehicle over and conducted a traffic stop, where they say they found 70 counterfeit IDs, a large amount of cash, multiple cellphones and pepper spray inside the vehicle.

All three men were arrested and charged.

A 23-year-old from Chateauguay, Quebec is being charged with:

  • Identity Theft x31
  • Identify Fraud
  • Possession of a forged Document x3
  • Possession of Property Obtained by Crime
  • Possession of a Weapon for Dangerous Purpose
  • Unauthorized Possession of Weapon
  • Fail to Comply x3

A 22-year-old from Mercier, Quebec is being charged with:

  • Identity Theft x31
  • Identify Fraud
  • Possession of a forged Document x2
  • Possession of Property Obtained by Crime
  • Possession of a Weapon for Dangerous Purpose
  • Unauthorized possession of Weapon

A 19-year-old from Chateauguay is being charged with:

  • Identity Theft x31
  • Identify Fraud
  • Possession of a forged Document x2
  • Possession of Property Obtained by Crime
  • Possession of a Weapon for Dangerous Purpose
  • Unauthorized possession of Weapon
  • Fail to Comply x2

RCMP is continuing to investigate.

All three men have been released from RCMP custody and must appear at court on October 7.