Three men have been charged by U.S. federal law enforcement following an attempted smuggling operation that authorities say involved more than 80 firearms bound for Canada. Malik Bromfield and Kamal Salman, both 22-year-old Canadian citizens, and Faizan Ali, a 25-year-old Pakistani citizen, were arrested on Friday.
The trio were detained after a traffic stop on State Route 90 in New York. According to authorities, "the occupants gave inconsistent and evasive accounts in response to NYSP questioning". During the subsequent search, troopers discovered an expired Pakistani National Driving Permit issued to an Afghan national concealed on Ali's person.
A canine unit then alerted to the potential presence of narcotics, prompting a full vehicle search. Authorities recovered an unusually heavy suitcase containing a large quantity of firearms. U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton stated the men "were caught transporting more than 80 guns, including short-barreled rifles and stolen firearms, to smuggle them out of the country".
Each of the three has been charged with one count of smuggling from the U.S., one count of unlicensed dealing in firearms, one count of transporting stolen firearms and unlawful possession of firearms. Bromfield faces an additional charge of unlawful possession of a firearm by an alien.
If convicted, each defendant could face more than 30 years in prison.
