US Border Patrol agents arrested five people who were being smuggled from Canada into the US near Walpole Island.
Officials say around 10:30 pm Feb. 20, remote video surveillance saw a boat on the St. Clair River near Algonac cross the international border near “a known smuggling route.”
US Border Patrol agents from Marysville found five people near where the vessel was observed heading towards the shoreline.
Officials say the five admitted to having just crossed the border from Canada, by boat.
Two migrants were completely drenched and shivering due to the frigid temperature after they had fallen into the river while climbing out of the boat. They were given blankets and dry clothes.
The five, two people from India, and the others from Nigeria, Mexico and the Dominican Republic, were taken into custody and are being processed for US immigration violations.
The migrant from the DR is also facing prosecution for re-entering the US after being removed from the country due to a drug trafficking charge.
“The smuggler tried to take advantage of darkness and freezing temperatures to mask his criminal activity. Bad people will go to great lengths to avoid arrest, placing themselves and others in danger,” said Chief Patrol Agent Robert Danley.
