Toronto, October 24, 2012 - A 72-year-old Canadian man was placed in police custody late Monday at Toronto Pearson International Airport following his deportation from Cambodia. Mr. Daniel Lavigne had been living abroad and upon his return to Canada, was met by officers from the Canadian Border Service Agency and Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) who executed two outstanding arrest warrants for alleged child sexual offences in Ontario that would have occurred prior to his departure from Canada. Lavigne’s deportation to face these allegations was the result of an investigation led by the RCMP Canadian Police Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (CPCMEC).
In March 2012, the RCMP began investigating Mr. Lavigne after receiving information from a Cambodian non-governmental organization (NGO) involved in child protection. “This operation sends a clear message to Canadian citizens and permanent residents of Canada who have the intention of traveling to a foreign country to sexually abuse children. If you think the authorities will not pursue you simply because you're outside Canada, you're wrong. Working with our national and international partners we will keep searching, we will find you and you will be brought to justice,” said Inspector Sergio Pasin, Officer-in-Charge of International Operations for CPCMEC at the RCMP.
Mr. Lavigne was residing in Cambodia without a valid passport and the RCMP CPCMEC facilitated the critical exchange of information between government and law enforcement authorities which resulted in the repatriation of Mr. Lavigne, so that appropriate legal action could be taken upon his arrival to Canada.
Several key partners were involved in the investigation including Passport Canada, the OPP, Canada Border Services Agency, the Cambodian National Police, the Hong Kong Police Department, RCMP Liaison Officers in Bangkok and Hong Kong, and a non-governmental organization involved in child protection in Cambodia.
Mr. Lavigne was moved to Sudbury for a court appearance on outstanding child sexual offences.
For further information:
RCMP National Communications – Media Relations
613 843-5999
