On June 26, the FBI handed out Certificates of Appreciation to the New York State Police Troop F Community Stabilization Unit after what started as a routine traffic stop on State Route 17 in Sullivan County turned into the discovery of more than 89 illegal firearms. The stop, made in May, later led federal prosecutors to charge three men with an alleged attempt to smuggle the weapons into Canada. The award highlights what officials called a major multi-agency gun interdiction along a key Hudson Valley corridor.
Congratulations to the @nyspolice Troop F Community Stabilization Unit who were presented with FBI Certificates of Appreciation in recognition for their interdiction of over 89 illegal firearms during a vehicle stop in May 2026.
— FBI New York (@NewYorkFBI) June 26, 2026
Through strong partnerships with our local,… pic.twitter.com/tqlz4RmttK
How the traffic stop turned into a major seizure
On or about May 7, troopers with NYSP's Troop F pulled over a white Ford Explorer after spotting vehicle and traffic violations. An exterior K-9 sweep alerted troopers to the SUV, and a preliminary search revealed an unusually heavy suitcase along with additional weapons. Authorities say they ultimately recovered 89 firearms, plus extended magazines and other ammunition, and that at least 17 of the guns had been reported stolen. These details are laid out in a complaint and press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.
Federal charges and defendants
Federal prosecutors identified the three occupants of the vehicle as Malik Bromfield, Faizan Ali and Kamal Salman. Each is charged with smuggling from the United States, unlicensed dealing in firearms, transporting stolen firearms in interstate commerce and unlawful possession of firearms. Bromfield faces an additional count of unlawful possession of a firearm by an alien, which carries a higher maximum penalty.
"It is critically important to New Yorkers and Americans to keep illegal weapons out of the hands of criminal actors," U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton said in the office’s release, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.
FBI recognition and partnership
The FBI’s New York office later posted on X that it had presented Certificates of Appreciation to Troop F's Community Stabilization Unit in recognition of the May interdiction, praising the troopers’ work along with the cooperation among federal and state partners. The bureau’s post thanked the participating agencies for the joint effort to get the firearms off the road and underscored the multi-agency nature of the investigation, as shared by FBI New York.
Troop F's highway enforcement work
Troop F's Community Stabilization Unit regularly runs proactive highway enforcement details in Sullivan County that target narcotics and illegal weapons. In a two-day April operation, troopers made multiple arrests and seizures, according to the New York State Police. That focus helps explain why State Route 17, one of the region’s major east-west corridors, was under close watch when troopers encountered the white Ford Explorer in May. State Police say these details are part of ongoing efforts to disrupt trafficking.
Legal implications
The three defendants were presented in federal court in White Plains and remain detained as the White Plains division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office continues to pursue the case, local reporting has noted. Prosecutors have not released a complete inventory of the seized weapons or specified where in Canada the firearms were allegedly destined, and investigators say the probe is ongoing, according to Shore News Network.
The bust highlights how ordinary traffic enforcement, paired with K-9 units, can peel back the curtain on larger trafficking operations that cut across state and international lines. Troop F and federal partners have declined to comment further beyond their public statements.
