CBSA cracks down on fraudulent refugee claims

The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) today announced the results of an investigation into fraudulent refugee claims made by certain foreign nationals originating from Central Europe. The CBSA Criminal Investigations Section alleges that Roger BHATTI, 61, of Delta, B.C., and Sofiane DAHAK, 52, of Vancouver, B.C., colluded with the foreign nationals to misrepresent the foreign nationals’ claims for refugee protection before the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB).

BHATTI is charged on the following counts:

• misrepresenting material facts in relation to refugee claims, pursuant to Section 127(a) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (x8);
• counselling misrepresentation of material facts in relation to refugee claims, pursuant to Section 126 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (x1);
• forgery, pursuant to Section 366(1)(b) of the Criminal Code (x4); and,
• use of a forged document, pursuant to Section 368(1)(b) of the Criminal Code (x7).

DAHAK is charged on the following counts:

• misrepresenting material facts in relation to refugee claims, pursuant to Section 127(a) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (x7); and
• counselling misrepresentation of material facts in relation to refugee claims, pursuant to Section 126 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (x1).

The CBSA alleges these offences were committed between February 2002 and March 2014 while BHATTI practised as a lawyer and DAHAK acted as an interpreter. The CBSA began investigating their activities in 2012 and executed search warrants on June 4, 2014, thereafter reviewing evidence connected to a number of refugee claims. Most of the refugee claimants were found not to be convention refugees and were removed from Canada.

Both of the accused are scheduled to appear in Surrey Provincial Court on October 6, 2020.