6 arrested in human trafficking bust in Port Huron

Liz Shepard, Times Herald 1:58 p.m. EDT August 31, 2016


(Photo: File photo)


A Polish man and five others were arrested in Port Huron Friday in a human trafficking bust, according to the U.S. Border Patrol.

Federal agents patrolling the St. Clair River observed two individuals board the boat Sacreblue and head straight into Canadian waters. They contacted Canadian authorities who watched the boat and saw four or five people board the vessel . It then headed back into Michigan waters.


At about 2:40 p.m., the Sacrebleu landed at the River Street Marina in Port Huron, where six people were taken into custody for illegal entry into the United States.


“This was an outstanding coordinated effort between two countries,” said Chief Patrol Agent Douglas Harrison in a statement released Wednesday. "Our agents' keen sense of situational awareness and our interoperability with (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) were instrumental in coordinating this cross-border smuggling attempt.”


Piotr Lisiecki, the boat operator and a citizen of Poland, was charged with two federal crimes, bringing in and harboring certain aliens, and improper entry by an alien.


Mona Dolinska, Maria Hauf, Jan Hauf, Roman Kowalski, and Wanda Kowalska, all citizens of Poland, were charged with improper entry by an alien.


The case has been accepted for prosecution by the U.S. Attorney’s Office Eastern District of Michigan in coordination with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Border Enforcement Security Task Force.


"Human smuggling can have disastrous implications to our national security, international relations, public health, economic/labor market and affects the integrity of our Immigration system,” Royal Canadian Mounted Police Superintendent Jamie Jagoe said in a statement. "Through collaborative efforts, with our partner agencies, we are always working to protect the integrity of our shared border”.

http://www.thetimesherald.com/story/...uron/89652756/