HOGANSBURG, N.Y. – On March 28, 2019, United States Border Patrol Agents assigned to the Massena Border Patrol Station apprehended six individuals involved in a suspected smuggling attempt.
On Thursday afternoon, agents from the Massena Station observed suspicious activity in Hogansburg involving the occupants of two vehicles, to include the exchange of passengers. The vehicles, a Honda and a Cadillac, then proceeded to travel east on Highway 37.
Border Patrol agents performed a vehicle stop on the Honda in the town of Bombay. Agents were not able to immediately verify the immigration status of the five people and transported them to the Massena Border Patrol Station for further investigation. There, agents conducted records checks and took biometric data from the driver and passengers. The driver was identified as a citizen of India with no immigration documentation allowing him to enter or remain in the United States. The U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of New York accepted the case for prosecution of 8 USC 1324, Alien Smuggling.
The two passengers that got into the Honda after exiting the Cadillac were also identified as citizens of India with no immigration documentation allowing them to enter or remain in the United States. The U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of New York will be prosecuting them for Illegal Entry under 8 USC 1325.
The other two passengers in the Honda were determined to be Legal Permanent Residents of the U.S. and were released.
The driver of the Cadillac was later stopped, with the assistance of the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribal Police, and apprehended for suspicion of alien smuggling. The subject is a Native American resident who lives on the Canadian portion of Akwesasne and is being charged by the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of New York for 8 USC 1324, Alien Smuggling.
“I would like to thank the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribal Police (SRMTP) for their assistance in this case,” said Swanton Sector Chief Patrol Agent Robert Garcia. “Thanks to the vigilance of our agents and our excellent working relationship with the SRMTP, we were able to thwart this suspected smuggling attempt.”
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.