Two Canadian residents are facing charges after what prosecutors call a cross-border smuggling operation through Point Roberts, a peninsula of Washington accessible by land only through British Columbia.
Eight Vietnamese nationals were found near Bellingham after flying in from the peninsula alongside the two suspects, Van Phuong Vu, 28, of Vancouver, and Johnny Huynh, 36, of Burnaby, Canada. They allegedly illegally crossed into the U.S. from Canada on Point Roberts and then flew from the Point Roberts airport to Bellingham.
“I commend the U.S. Border Patrol for their quick and diligent work in this case,” First Assistant U.S. Attorney Neil Floyd said. “An early morning alert of border crossing at the beach led to the apprehension of eight illegal aliens and charges against those who sought to profit from the smuggling event.”
Some of the Vietnamese nationals told law enforcement they paid between $13,000 and $15,000 to be smuggled into the U.S.
Conspiracy to transport certain aliens for private financial gain is punishable by up to 10 years in prison, alongside a $250,000 fine.
The United States Border Patrol and the Department of Homeland Security are investigating the case.
This is a developing story, check back for updates.
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