Overview
- Federal prosecutors detained the three men Friday after a May 7 New York State Police stop near Liberty uncovered 89 firearms in their vehicle.
- The cache included at least 17 guns reported stolen and short‑barreled rifles, which face strict federal controls.
- Each defendant was charged with smuggling from the United States, unlicensed dealing, transporting stolen firearms in interstate commerce, and unlawful possession, exposing them to maximum sentences of up to 35 years if convicted.
- Investigators say a phone’s GPS was set to an address near Hammond by the St. Lawrence River next to the Akwesasne Mohawk Territory, a route often used for illicit cross‑border moves.
- Two suspects hold Canadian citizenship and one is a Pakistani citizen, and the complaint says Faizan Ali has outstanding Canadian warrants, as the FBI and ATF continue the joint probe.