Three men, including a Pakistani national, have been charged in the United States for allegedly attempting to smuggle 89 firearms, including at least 17 reported stolen, from the US into Canada, authorities said.According to a statement issued by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, the arrests followed a traffic stop conducted by New York State Police on Thursday along State Route 90.Officials said officers became suspicious after receiving inconsistent answers from the occupants during questioning, prompting a search of the vehicle. Authorities allegedly recovered a large cache of firearms, including additional weapons hidden in the backseat.The accused were identified as Malik Bromfield, 22, a Canadian citizen; Faizan Ali, 25, a Pakistani citizen; and Kamal Salman, 22, a citizen of Canada, the United States and Jordan.The three men were later produced before a federal magistrate judge in White Plains and ordered detained.Authorities also alleged that Ali was carrying an expired Pakistani National Driving Permit issued in another person’s name.The accused face multiple charges, including smuggling from the United States, unlicensed dealing in firearms, transporting stolen firearms in interstate commerce and unlawful possession of firearms. Bromfield faces an additional charge of unlawful possession of a firearm by an alien.According to prosecutors, the charges carry maximum statutory prison sentences ranging from five to 15 years, though any final sentence would be determined by the court.The arrests were announced by US Attorney Jay Clayton, FBI Assistant Director in Charge James C Barnacle Jr and ATF Special Agent in Charge Bryan DiGirolamo.“As alleged, the defendants were caught transporting more than 80 guns, including short-barreled rifles and stolen firearms, to smuggle them out of the country,” Clayton said.Barnacle said the accused, including two foreign nationals, endangered public safety by allegedly attempting to move the weapons into Canada.DiGirolamo also warned about the threat posed by illegal firearms trafficking.Authorities said the investigation involved a joint effort between the NYSP Troop F Community Stabilisation Unit, the FBI’s New York Hudson Valley Safe Streets Task Force and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
