Ontario Human Trafficking Arrests Link Ottawa and Laval Suspects

Three men—Moad Ben Yahya (28), Abdulaziz Al‑Zouaghi (27) and Mohammad Elmuradi (26)—were arrested on 8 July in Ottawa after a police investigation uncovered a suspected organized human‑trafficking network spanning several Ontario cities, including the Greater Toronto Area. Former Toronto police detective Donald Best warned that "Muslim rape gangs are here in Canada now" and drew parallels to grooming‑gang scandals in the United Kingdom, though police releases did not confirm the suspects' religious background.

In a related operation, Ontario Provincial Police stopped a vehicle at an ONroute rest stop on Highway 401 near Kingston, leading to the arrest of 23‑year‑old Mathis Bourgeois of Laval, Joseph‑Jean Pevensly of Longueuil, and a minor from Magog. Authorities seized about 500 g of suspected cocaine, weapons, cash and equipment linked to drug and human trafficking. The trio faces multiple charges, including possession of cocaine for trafficking, human trafficking of a person under 18, and possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose.