colinnew
Michael Laliberte was changing the filter on his air-conditioning unit when a heavy police presence descended on his apartment building in south London.
Laliberte, 67, a retired bookkeeper and accountant, watched from the balcony of his apartment at 80 Highview Ave. E, southeast of Wharncliffe and Commissioners roads, and saw RCMP officers with their weapons drawn and nearly a dozen police vehicles swarm the highrise around 10 a.m.
Members of the RCMP, London police and Canada Border Services Agency raided the apartment as part of human trafficking investigation across Southwestern Ontario that led to the rescue of 31 victims, RCMP spokesperson Corp. Chrisy Veensera said.
The police probe centred around a ninth-floor unit, where a new door had been installed by Friday because police had damaged the original one while forcing their way into the unit, residents on the floor said.
One ninth-floor resident, who didn’t want to be identified, said he saw police take away one man in handcuffs Thursday.
A London police spokesperson referred all inquiries to the RCMP. The Canada Border Service Agency didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Highview Avenue building is managed by Norquay Property Management. The property manager for the building didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
The heavy police presence at the building left some residents rattled.
“This doesn’t happen in this building. It’s mostly seniors,” Laliberte said.
