RCMP deploy Black Hawk helicopter to Manitoba-U.S. border

RCMP has increased border security by adding a Black Hawk helicopter along the Manitoba-U.S. boundary. 

Regular flights began Sunday to monitor illegal crossings between official ports of entry and to stop illegal products entering or leaving Canada, such as fentanyl.

With RCMP officers on board, the helicopter can respond quickly to suspicious activity or direct ground enforcement teams. 

Assistant Commissioner Lisa Moreland said the aircraft will strengthen detection and response capabilities while safeguarding border communities.

These patrols were launched one day before Donald Trump returned to the White House as U.S. President. 

Trump has threatened tariffs on Canadian and Mexican goods unless both countries do more to stop illegal immigrants and drug smuggling. 

According to federal officials, the flights are also part of a $1.3-billion border upgrade, which includes more officers, drones, and drug-sniffing dogs.

The RCMP warned residents along the forty-ninth parallel that they may regularly see or hear the helicopter.

The flights are part of normal police operations and pose no threat to public safety.

The increased surveillance follows a tragedy on January 19, 2024, near Emerson, Manitoba, where a family of four from India froze to death in minus 35 C conditions, just 12 metres from the Canada-U.S. border. 

Investigators say the Patel family, including their two children, were part of a larger group guided by a human smuggling network. 

RCMP called the crossing “very thought-out and organized,” warning that such networks are serious risks to vulnerable migrants.

Authorities hope these measures will reduce such dangers and curb cross-border crime. 

Officials have also deployed integrated border enforcement teams to assist with patrols on the ground. 

Moreland indicated that the RCMP will continue adding resources as required while officials on both sides work to ensure secure and legal travel.