Lacolle border crossing closed Thursday night: false alarm for suspicious package
Posted June 9, 2023 9:45 am.
Last Updated June 9, 2023 9:51 am.
The Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle border crossing in the Montérégie region was closed for several hours on Thursday evening due to a suspicious object that turned out not to be dangerous, the Sûreté du Québec (SQ) confirmed.
The SQ had been called at around 6:30 p.m. by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) regarding a “suspicious package” on board a vehicle. Police explosives technicians were dispatched to the scene to carry out checks.
Shortly before 11 p.m., the SQ indicated that the suspicious object, which may have resembled an explosive device, “does not represent any danger”. The reopening of the border crossing was “imminent”, according to the police.
Normal operations have resumed at the Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle, HGW 15 port of entry. pic.twitter.com/U9RXyknUk4
— Border Services QUE (@CanBorderQUE) June 9, 2023
CBSA, Quebec Region, had earlier warned on Twitter that “all lanes” of the Route 15 border crossing were closed to traffic “due to an ongoing enforcement operation”, but gave no further details of the event.
All lanes at the Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle, HGW 15 are currently closed to traffic due to an active law enforcement operation. Please reroute to the nearby ports of entry of Route 223, Route 221 and Hemingford. pic.twitter.com/oSd9jkOzsU
— Border Services QUE (@CanBorderQUE) June 9, 2023
The CBSA advised travellers to proceed to adjacent ports of entry.
The Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle border crossing links Quebec to New York State.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on June 8, 2023.
