Monday, June 26, 2017

Montreal man smuggled guns through library straddling Canada-U.S. border

A Montreal man was brought to the U.S. to face charges he smuggled handguns into Canada, including some that were hidden in the bathroom of a public library that straddles the nations' border. Alexis Vlachos, 40, was taken into custody in Canada and then arrested by U.S. authorities on May 31 at the Canadian border. Between July 2010 and April 2011, Vlachos smuggled about 100 handguns that had been purchased from licensed dealers in Florida into Canada via Vermont
In one instance, Vlachos retrieved handguns that had been left for him in the Haskell Library, which straddles the border in Derby Line, Vt., and Stanstead, Que. The entrance to the library is in Vermont and Canadians can visit the library without going through a port of entry. He pleaded not guilty earlier this month in federal court in Vermont, and he was being held pending trial.

If convicted, Vlachos faces up to 20 years in prison.