SWANTON SECTOR AGENTS SEIZE 48LBS OF POT, ARREST 11 ILLEGALS IN 5 DAYS
SWANTON, Vt. – U.S. Border Patrol agents assigned to the Swanton Sector had a busy week June 8 – June 12, including arresting 11 illegal aliens, seizing 48 pounds of marijuana and arresting one subject with an active arrest warrant. The sector established checkpoints, with the support of the New York State Police, on Interstate 87 near North Hudson and on Highway 11 near Tupper Lake in New York.
“Checkpoint operations remain a critical enforcement tool to deny criminal organizations the ability to smuggle people, narcotics or other contraband further away from the border,” said Swanton Sector Chief Patrol Agent John C. Pfeifer, “I commend the agents of the Swanton for their vigilance and thank the New York State Police for their support during this operation.”
During the 5-day operation, Swanton Sector agents encountered and arrested 11 people who did not possess valid immigration status.
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One subject, a citizen of Ecuador, had been previously removed from the United States and is being charged with Reentry of a Removed Alien, which is a felony. Agents say they also arrested other illegal aliens from China, Peru, Guatemala, El Salvador, Mexico, and Senegal.
In addition to the immigration violations, agents seized three separate loads of hydroponic marijuana, the largest of which was 34 pounds. Those Agents also seized smaller amounts of marijuana, cocaine, fentanyl, oxycodone, and psilocybin mushroom powder in 11 other incidents. The subjects and contraband were turned over to the New York State Police for further investigation and prosecution.
In those cases, the subjects and contraband were turned over to the New York State Police for further investigation and prosecution.
Agents also intercepted one U.S. citizen driving with a suspended driver’s license and another with an active arrest warrant. Border Patrol agents placed both individuals in the custody of the New York State Police.
The Swanton Sector is responsible for securing the land border between ports of entry in Vermont, New Hampshire, and northeastern New York. The assistance of citizens is invaluable to their border security mission and they welcome community members to help them keep the nation’s borders safe and report suspicious activity at 1-800-689-3362.
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