RCMP in central Alberta said two people had been charged under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, following an investigation into human trafficking.
Red Deer RCMP said their investigation started in June, 2014, when Alberta Employment Standards contacted police, sparking a joint investigation into the alleged abuse of eight temporary foreign workers employed at the Econolodge in Gasoline Alley, in Red Deer.
“I can tell you the alleged abuse when we’re talking about human trafficking generally speaks towards either the sex trade labour and in this case it’s a forced labour situation,” Insp. Darcy Fleury said in an interview with CTV News.
“They’ve given them employment outside what they were allowed to under what their visa would have given them.”
The investigation was finished on April 3 by Calgary Federal Serious Organized Crime officers – resulting in the charges.
Police said Varinder Sidhu, 49, and Ravinder Sidhu, 46, both from Red Deer, are facing the following charges:
- Organize the coming into Canada of one or more persons by means of abduction, fraud, deception or use or threat of force or coercion
- Employ a foreign national in a capacity in which the foreign national is not authorized under the Act to be employed
- Counsel, induce, aid or abet or attempts to counsel, aid or abet any person to directly or indirectly misrepresent or withhold material facts relating to a relevant matter that induces or could induce an error in the administration of the act
The accused are scheduled to appear in a Red Deer courtroom on May 26.
If convicted of the charges, the couple could face up to 10 years in prison.
With files from Amanda Anderson
