DETROIT – U.S. Border Patrol agents from the Detroit Sector arrested five foreign nationals during a smuggling attempt near Algonac.
On February 20, at approximately 10:30 p.m., Border Patrol dispatchers monitoring the Remote Video Surveillance System observed a vessel on the St. Clair River cross the international border near a known smuggling route and immediately contacted agents in the area.
Marysville station agents responded to the area and immediately encountered five people in the vicinity of where the vessel was observed heading towards the shoreline. Agents subsequently interviewed all the subjects, who admitted to having just crossed the border from Canada, by boat. Agents also observed two migrants completely drenched and shivering due to the frigid temperature. The subjects explained to the agents that they had fallen into the river while climbing out of the boat. Agents then performed a medical assessment and provided them with emergency blankets along with dry clothing, later at the station.
All five subjects were then taken into custody and transported to the Marysville station for processing. During the processing stage of the investigation, agents identified two subjects from India, and the remainder from Nigeria, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic.
“The smuggler tried to take advantage of darkness and freezing temperatures to mask his criminal activity. Bad people will go to great lengths to avoid arrest, placing themselves and others in danger. Thankfully, Detroit Sector agents and communication specialists are protecting our Nation around the clock, even in adverse weather,” said Chief Patrol Agent Robert Danley.
All five subjects are being processed for U.S. immigration violations. The subject from the Dominican Republic is additionally being presented to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for prosecution of 8 USC 1326 Re-entry After Removal of an Aggravated Felon based on his prior immigration removals in addition to his documented history of drug trafficking.
Anyone with information on suspicious activity is asked to call the Detroit Sector Border Patrol Border Watch telephone number toll-free at 800-537-3220.