Three men have been charged with attempting to smuggle 89 firearms from the United States into Canada, according to a federal complaint filed in the Southern District of New York.
New York State Police stopped Malik Bromfield, Faizan Ali, and Kamal Salman in a rented Ford Explorer near Liberty, a town around 20 miles east of the Pennsylvania border, after observing multiple traffic violations, according to the complaint. Officers found the men provided inconsistent and evasive accounts of their travel plans, the complaint says.
The defendants face charges including smuggling, unlicensed dealing, possession of stolen firearms, and possession of unregistered short-barreled rifles. All men are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law.
The case highlights concerns about firearms trafficking from the U.S. into Canada, where gun laws are more restrictive. Investigators said the number and type of weapons recovered were consistent with trafficking rather than personal use.
How the Weapons Were Found
After ordering the occupants out of the vehicle, troopers said the men gave inconsistent and evasive answers to questions, per the complaint. During the stop, Ali consented to a search, and a trooper recovered an expired Pakistani driving permit issued under a different name that had been concealed on his person.
A roadside search uncovered a large suitcase packed with firearms, as well as rifles on the back seat. Law enforcement ultimately recovered at least 89 firearms from the vehicle, including 17 stolen weapons, handguns, rifles, and two unregistered short-barreled rifles.
None of the men held licenses to export or deal firearms, according to the complaint. Two defendants are Canadian nationals, and one is a U.S. citizen with a Canadian passport.
Ali is wanted in Canada on four outstanding arrests warrants, including for alleged drug trafficking and a fatal automobile collision.
Authorities allege that the men intended to cross into Canada.
GPS Clue to Destination
Law enforcement observed that Bromfield’s cellphone, seized during the arrest, displayed a GPS navigation app set to an address in Hammond, New York, immediately across the St. Lawrence River from Ontario, Canada. License plate reader data showed the vehicle traveling northbound from Florida toward upstate New York.
“As alleged, Malik Bromfield, Faizan Ali, and Kamal Salman were caught transporting more than 80 guns, including short-barreled rifles and stolen firearms, to smuggle them out of the country,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “It is critically important to New Yorkers and Americans to keep illegal weapons out of the hands of criminal actors. The trafficking of dangerous weapons will be relentlessly pursued by this office.”
“These three defendants, including two foreign nationals, allegedly endangered our communities as they attempted to smuggle 89 firearms—17 of which were stolen—into Canada,” FBI Assistant Director in Charge James C. Barnacle, Jr. said in a press release. “The FBI is committed to working with our federal and state law enforcement partners to take illegal guns off our streets.”
“Illegal firearms trafficking threatens the safety of our communities and fuels violent crime,” Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Special Agent in Charge Bryan DiGirolamo said in a press release.
“ATF New York’s Hudson Valley personnel were proud to assist the FBI-led investigation alongside the New York State Police to help prevent dozens of firearms, including stolen weapons, from reaching the streets.”
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