CRIME
Border Agents Stop 20 Romanians Illegally Entering Maine, 2 Connected To Organized Crime
US Border Patrol Houlton Sector
U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents on Wednesday apprehended multiple Romanian families illegally entering the United States in Maine, and two individuals were identified as members of a transnational criminal organization, officials said.
Border agents were alerted to four vehicles illegally crossing the border in Hodgdon, Maine, at around 6:10 a.m. on Wednesday, and used emergency equipment to stop them on Lincoln Road, the agency said in a statement.
Officials said 20 citizens of Romania were apprehended — 10 adults and 10 juveniles. Two of the individuals were Transnational Criminal Organized Crime matches and processed for expedited removal proceedings, the agency said.
“This incident is indicative of an overall rise in apprehensions witnessed here in Houlton Sector,” said Acting Chief Patrol Agent in Charge Dennis Harmon. “In the last three Octobers, Houlton Sector encountered a total of 33 individuals. In fiscal year 2024 alone, weve encountered 53. While this increase poses challenges to Border Patrol resources, it does not dissuade the great work done by our dedicated Agents here in Houlton Sector.”
The coordinated 4-vehicle border rush occurred in Hodgdon, a rural town of around 1,300 people bordering New Brunswick, Canada. A photo shared by U.S. Border Patrol Houlton Sector showed a line of cars pulling onto a desolate, snowy road alongside some woods.
The agency said U.S. Border Patrol in Maine relies on the cooperation and assistance of the public in reporting suspicious activity.
TMX contributed to this article.
