U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the Peace Bridge border crossing in Buffalo, New York, arrested a Burmese citizen wanted in Texas on felony domestic violence charges. The arrest occurred on June 18 when Ayatullah Mohamad Kasim, a 29-year-old male and Lawful Permanent Resident of the United States, attempted to enter the country.
Kasim was stopped by CBP officers as he entered the United States alone in a personal vehicle. During his primary inspection, he informed officers that he had mistakenly turned onto Peace Bridge and had no intention of traveling to Canada. Upon examination, officers found a National Crime Information Center (NCIC) match indicating an active arrest warrant for Kasim.
The warrant was verified during secondary inspection by CBP officers. It was confirmed that Kasim had an active arrest warrant from the Harris County Sheriff's Office in Texas for probation violation related to an original third-degree felony charge of continuous violence against the family.
Director of Field Operations Buffalo Rose Brophy stated, "I’m proud of our enforcement-minded CBP officers who continue to effectively leverage national law enforcement resources to identify and apprehend wanted fugitives." She added that their collaboration with law enforcement partners ensures violent fugitives are brought to justice.
Following confirmation of the arrest warrant, Kasim was handed over to the Buffalo Police Department as a fugitive from justice. He is currently held at the Erie County Sheriff’s Office awaiting extradition to Texas.
It is important to note that criminal charges are allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection describes itself as America's frontline and the nation's largest law enforcement organization. With over 65,000 personnel, it aims to protect America through safe travel facilitation and trade while enhancing security through innovation and collaboration.
