OTTAWA — Canada's border agency says reluctant witnesses, scant evidence, and limited time and resources pose serious challenges when it comes to investigating crooked immigration consultants.
Agency president Luc Portelance tells Public Safety Minister Steven Blaney in a newly disclosed memo that fraudulent activities involving unscrupulous consultants threaten the integrity of Canada's immigration program.
The memo, released under the Access to Information Act, says the border agency has received more than 700 referrals of suspected consultant-related fraud for criminal investigation since 2008.
However, consultant fraud cases are among the most time-consuming and resource-intensive investigations.
The memo says obtaining evidence to prove intent of a crime often includes several search warrants, production orders, interviews and surveillance operations.
In addition, contracts between shady consultants and prospective newcomers are often verbal — with payments made in cash — leaving little documentary evidence for use in court.
