Federal arrests shut down alien smuggling scheme at the western edge of the U.S. Border with Canada

Tacoma - Two residents of British Columbia, Canada appeared in U.S. District Court in Tacoma yesterday afternoon charged in connection with their scheme to smuggle Vietnamese citizens from Canada into the U.S., announced First Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. Van Phuong Vu, 28, of Vancouver, and Johnny Huynh, 36, of Burnaby, Canada, are charged with conspiracy to transport certain aliens for private financial gain. The men were arrested near the Bellingham Airport last week with eight Vietnamese nationals who had illegally crossed into the U.S. from Canada on Point Roberts and then flown from the Point Roberts airport to Bellingham.

"I commend the U.S. Border Patrol for their quick and diligent work in this case," said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Neil Floyd. "An early morning alert of border crossing at the beach led to the apprehension of eight illegal aliens and charges against those who sought to profit from the smuggling event."

According to the criminal complaint, on May 5, 2026, at about 8:30 in the morning, U.S. Border patrol was made aware of people crossing the border between Canada and the small enclave of Point Roberts. The group of people was crossing the border at the beach. Point Roberts is a peninsula of Washington state accessible by land only through British Columbia, Canada. From Point Roberts, the only direct way to the mainland U.S. is via plane or boat.

Around 10 AM, Border Patrol Agents at Bellingham Airport found the group of people that they suspected crossed the border at Point Roberts earlier that morning. Border Patrol Agents observed the group, accompanied by Huynh, exit the charter flight terminal and walk toward a nearby hotel, where they were intercepted. Border Patrol Agents learned that a second flight with additional travelers accompanied by Vu would be arriving soon and later intercepted that group near the airport. Border Patrol Agents ultimately determined a total of eight Vietnamese nationals had entered the U.S. without inspection. Some of the Vietnamese nationals told law enforcement they had agreed to pay between $13,000 and $15,000 to be smuggled into the U.S.

Vu, a Vietnamese citizen who is a lawful permanent resident of Canada, and Huynh, a Canadian citizen, are charged with the scheme to smuggle the aliens into the U.S. Some of the Vietnamese nationals communicated with the smuggling group via social media and were instructed to pay the smuggling fees when they arrived at their final destinations in the U.S., including New York or Tennessee.

Conspiracy to transport certain aliens for private financial gain is punishable by up to ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The charges contained in the complaint are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

The case is being investigated by United States Border Patrol (USBP) Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Pecaro.