Published August 3, 2026 at 5:24 PM EDT

Three individuals have been arrested in what the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of New York called today/on Monday a “major international smuggling operation along the northern border.”

First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III says state, federal, regional, and tribal agents on both sides of the border arrested three Akwesasne dual Canadian American citizens on Thursday for their alleged roles in an international drug trafficking operation, following a coordinated investigation, 47-year-old Basil Lazore, 38-year-old Michael Arquette, and 81-year-old Patricia Ransom were arrested.

The charges include conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. Lazore was taken into custody in Canada, and Arquette and Ransom were arrested in the U.S.

"The arrest reflects the unprecedented collaboration among our law enforcement partners," Sarcone said in a release. "As alleged, the defendants sought to exploit areas along the border where tribal lands create unmonitored access points for cross-border criminal activity."