Two men have been arrested on suspicion of flying a drone near an east-end Montreal prison early Monday morning.
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Correction officers at the Rivière-des-Prairies Detention Facility at 11900 Armand-Chaput Avenue said they saw the drone flying nearby around 1 a.m.
Montreal police arrived shortly after; a security perimeter was erected and the canine squad was deployed.
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They located and arrested two men, aged 38 and 42, hiding in a nearby wooded area.
Sûreté du Québec (SQ) spokesperson Daniel Thibodeau said the two men were in possession of the drone, as well as a package that contained at least one cell phone and at least one charging battery.
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As of sunrise, the SQ was unable to say whether the two alleged malefactors had delivered objects or substances to the prison.
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Correctional agents are checking the property grounds and surrounding area.
Thibodeau noted that drones are often seen flying in the sky surrounding detention centres, but it is rare for suspects to be arrested.
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The two men were identified and released a few hours after their arrest. The materials in their possession will be analyzed.
The case was transferred to the provincial police’s Mascouche Major Crimes Unit as the alleged criminals seemed to be targeting a detention centre run by the Quebec Ministry of Public Security.
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The SQ says it is unaware of the nature of the charges that could be brought against the two men.
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