Canadian skipper charged with smuggling

ROUSES POINT, N.Y., July 9 (UPI) -- A pleasure boat captain was arrested and two Canadians seized after the skipper attempted to smuggle the pair across Lake Champlain, U.S. authorities said.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents said they arrested Robert Bernier, 45, of Longueuil, Quebec, Monday for attempting sneak two Canadian passengers illegally into the United States, WPTZ-TV, Plattsburg, N.Y., reported Wednesday.

Bernier had come ashore at the newly built Rouses Point, N.Y., boat inspection dock on Lake Champlain to talk to customs officials and allegedly declared he had no passengers. But police dogs detected something on the pleasure craft Vague A Bond X, and agents say they found Erika David, 27, of Pierrefonds, Quebec, and Jessy Tremblay, 39, of Montreal, hiding on the ship.

The three Canadians were taken into custody and are being held at the Clinton County, N.Y., Holding Facility pending arraignment on illegal immigration charges, the station reported, adding that the Vague A Bond X was seized.