K9 Helps Find 89 Illegal Firearms During Traffic Stop
According to the New York State Police, a 2026 Ford Explorer traveling westbound on State Route 17 was pulled over near Exit 98 in the Town of Liberty at 6:12 p.m. on May 7 for several traffic violations.
Troopers identified the driver as 22-year-old Malik A. Bromfield of Ontario, Canada. The two passengers were identified as 25-year-old Faizan Ali of Ontario, Canada, and 22-year-old Kamal J. Salman of Boynton Beach, Florida.
During the stop, K9 Kell alerted troopers to the vehicle, leading investigators to search the SUV. Police said they found an unusually heavy suitcase and when they searched it they found quite the gun cache.
Police say they uncovered 89 illegal firearms of various makes, models, and calibers, along with extended magazines, large-capacity ammunition feeding devices, and ammunition.
Authorities say 18 of the firearms had been reported stolen.
The three men were arrested and transported to State Police HQ in Middletown before being turned over to the FBI's Hudson Valley Safe Streets Task Force.
Federal prosecutors now allege the weapons were being transported in an attempt to smuggle them into Canada.
In a press release, U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton said the suspects were allegedly caught transporting “more than 80 guns, including short-barreled rifles and stolen firearms, to smuggle them out of the country.”
“As alleged, Malik Bromfield, Faizan Ali, and Kamal Salman were caught transporting more than 80 guns, including short-barreled rifles and stolen firearms, to smuggle them out of the country,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “It is critically important to New Yorkers and Americans to keep illegal weapons out of the hands of criminal actors. The trafficking of dangerous weapons will be relentlessly pursued by this Office.”
Federal investigators also say the suspects gave ���inconsistent and evasive accounts” during questioning.
According to the criminal complaint, state police also found an expired Pakistani National Driving Permit reportedly concealed on one of the suspects during a roadside search.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office says Bromfield, Ali, and Salman are each charged with:
- Smuggling from the United States
- Unlicensed dealing in firearms
- Transporting stolen firearms in interstate commerce
- Unlawful possession of firearms
Each charge carries potential prison time ranging from five to 10 years.
Bromfield also faces an additional charge of unlawful possession of a firearm by an alien, which carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison.
The investigation involved multiple agencies, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Department of Homeland Security, FBI Hudson Valley Safe Streets Task Force, and the New York State Police Joint Terrorism Task Force.