Authorities in the United States revealed on Friday that three individuals, including two Canadian citizens, have been accused in New York state of trying to illicitly transport numerous firearms into Canada.
A collaborative announcement by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, the FBI, and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) disclosed that three men in their twenties were apprehended after a traffic stop on Thursday while driving on State Route 90 in the Finger Lakes area of New York state, approximately 200 kilometers east of Buffalo.
During a search of their vehicle, authorities discovered 89 firearms, with at least 17 of them reported as stolen, intended for Canada.
Bryan DiGirolamo, the special agent in charge of the ATF’s New York field division, emphasized, “Illegal firearms trafficking poses a threat to our communities and contributes to violent crime.”
The suspects identified were Malik Bromfield, 22, a Canadian citizen; Kamal Salman, 22, holding citizenship from Canada, the U.S., and Jordan; and Faizan Ali, 25, a citizen of Pakistan.
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All three individuals face charges including smuggling, unlicensed firearms dealing, transportation of stolen firearms across state lines, and illegal possession of firearms. If convicted on all charges, each could potentially receive a maximum sentence of 35 years in prison.
Bromfield also faces an additional charge of illegal possession of a firearm by a non-U.S. citizen, which carries a maximum penalty of 15 years.
Hamilton police reported on Saturday that Ali has been evading authorities since a fatal motorcycle accident.
In July 2024, Hamilton police confirmed his conviction in the case but disclosed that he failed to appear for a court hearing following his release before sentencing.
‘Vast majority’ of crime guns in Canada originate from the U.S.
In Canada, the use of firearms sourced from the U.S. in criminal activities has been a persistent issue.
For example, 88% of the 717 crime guns seized by the Toronto Police Service in 2024 were traced back to the United States.
In 2022, the Canada Border Services Agency intercepted 581 firearms entering Canada from the U.S., and this number surged to 839 in 2024, as per the agency’s records.
Jooyoung Lee, a sociology professor at the University of Toronto specializing in the root causes and long-term effects of gun violence, previously explained to CBC News that “the overwhelming majority of