BLAINE, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – Four people were indicted Thursday, April 25, for conspiracy to smuggle non-citizens to the United States over the Canadian border near Blaine.

According to the indictment and a criminal complaint, the four people were linked to two separate instances of smuggling in eight Indian citizens in total.

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) alleges that the four charged substantial fees when directing the people in how to cross the border.

In November 2023, a group of people were caught on camera hopping a fence near Boundary Village Apartments, a quarter mile from Peace Arch Park. Border Patrol agents then saw five people run to a white minivan that one of the conspirators was driving.

Then in December 2023, three more Indian citizens were directed by another of the conspirators to cross the park and get into another vehicle that was later stopped by Border Agents.

The defendants are facing charges for each person smuggled – including for the act of smuggling at a non-port and for financial gain – and attempt to illegally bring in and transport non-citizens for profit.