CHATEAUGUAY, N.Y. – U.S. Border Patrol agents assigned to the Massena Border Patrol Station apprehended four illegal aliens as well as a suspected smuggler on Friday, April 26.
Shortly before midnight on Thursday, Border Patrol agents working along Route 11 east of Chateauguay observed a suspicious taxi behaving erratically. New York State Police (NYSP) subsequently stopped the vehicle for a traffic violation. Border Patrol agents on-scene determined all four passengers to be Mexican citizens without any immigration documentation allowing them to enter or remain in the United States. The driver, a citizen of the Dominican Republic, was charged by NYSP for moving from lane unsafely and aggravated unlicensed operation 2nd degree.
The U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of New York is prosecuting three of the passengers for illegal entry under 8 USC 1325. Another passenger will be prosecuted for Re-entry after Removal, a felony under 8 USC 326. The driver will be prosecuted for Alien Smuggling under 8 USC 1324.
“The astute observations by agents in the field helped foil this active smuggling event,” said Chief Patrol Agent Robert Garcia. “We will continue to work with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to investigate and prosecute any criminal individuals involved in smuggling attempts in the Swanton Sector area of operations.”
The Swanton Sector is responsible for securing the land border between ports of entry in Vermont, New Hampshire and northeastern New York. The coordination with assistance of citizens is invaluable to the Border Patrol's border security mission and we welcome community members' help to keep our nation’s borders safe. Please report suspicious activity at 1-800-689-3362.
For more on Customs and Border Protection’s mission at our nation’s ports of entry with CBP officers and along U.S. borders with Border Patrol agents, please visit the Border Security section of the CBP website.