Two British Columbia men are facing federal charges after agents intercepted eight Vietnamese nationals who investigators say slipped into the United States through Point Roberts, then hopped charter flights to Bellingham. Prosecutors allege the trips were part of a for-profit smuggling pipeline from Canada into Washington, putting the tiny peninsula and its modest airstrip under a fresh spotlight.
Van Phuong Vu, 28, of Vancouver, and Johnny Huynh, 36, of Burnaby are charged with conspiracy to transport certain aliens for private financial gain, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Investigators say U.S. Border Patrol agents were alerted to people crossing a beach into Point Roberts early on May 5, and later stopped charter flights at Bellingham International Airport that morning, ultimately identifying eight people who had entered without inspection. According to the complaint, some migrants reported paying between $13,000 and $15,000 to be brought into the country.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Neil Floyd publicly applauded the operation, telling KIRO 7 News Seattle, "I commend the U.S. Border Patrol for their quick and diligent work in this case." His comments appeared in local coverage of the Justice Department announcement.
How Investigators Say The Route Worked
According to local reporting, Border Patrol agents first spotted a group walking in from a beach into Point Roberts on the morning of May 5, then watched as charter flights ferried two groups to Bellingham International Airport. Agents say one group, traveling with Huynh, was seen leaving a charter terminal and heading toward a hotel before officers moved in. A second charter flight, allegedly tied to Vu and carrying additional travelers, was intercepted near the airport soon after.
Some of the migrants told investigators they had been instructed to settle up their smuggling fees only after they reached U.S. cities such as New York or destinations in Tennessee, according to The Bellingham Herald.
Charges And Possible Penalties
Vu and Huynh each face a federal count of conspiracy to transport certain aliens for private financial gain. The charge carries a potential sentence of up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Prosecutors emphasize that the allegations remain just that for now, and both defendants are presumed innocent unless and until they are proven guilty in court. The case is being handled in U.S. District Court in Tacoma.
Investigators from U.S. Border Patrol and the Department of Homeland Security continue to work the case, and initial appearances were held in federal court this week, according to local coverage. Point Roberts is a U.S. peninsula that is accessible by land only through British Columbia, and the only direct routes to the Washington mainland are by plane or boat, a geography officials say can be exploited by smugglers, according to My Bellingham Now. The Justice Department has not yet announced trial dates as the case moves through the federal system.
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