Three Hamilton men arrested in New York State after police seize 89 guns

Three men from Hamilton were arrested in New York State last week, when police discovered a suitcase full of guns following a traffic stop.

One of the men had been at large since 2024, and was facing 11 years in prison.

New York State police say they stopped an SUV Friday evening that was committing multiple traffic violations.

When their canine unit indicated the presence of narcotics, police searched the vehicle and found 89 guns, with at least 17 of which were stolen.

New York State police say the firearms were bound for Canada, and here at home that’s raising some concerns.

“It does concern us quite gravely in relation to both the quantity of the firearms that were seized, but also in the context of what we’ve experienced here in the City of Hamilton in the last couple weeks,” said Hamilton police Superintendent Martin Schulenberg.

A 16-year-old boy dead following a shooting at Jackson Square, and a 19-year-old man killed in a shooting at a CityHousing apartment less than a week later.

WATCH MORE: Local agencies sound alarm after two teen killings in downtown Hamilton within a week

No details have been released on the origins of the guns involved in the recent shootings, but police say there’s an overall trend.

“We know where they’re coming from, we know the havoc they create on our streets, and what I can tell you is that we work closely with our municipal and provincial partners, and in this case federal partners to address and mitigate these threats,” said Schulenberg.

The three Hamilton residents facing charges in New York are, 22-year-old Kamal Salman, 22-year-old Malik Bromfield and 25-year-old Faizan Ali.

Ali has been on the run since 2024, when he failed to appear for his sentencing over multiple convictions in connection with the death of a motorcyclist in 2021, including unauthorized possession of firearms.

He was facing 11 years in prison.

“Every year we’re seizing more crime, guns,” said Schulenberg. “What I can tell you, is that 90+ per cent of those firearms do come from over the border — they are smuggled across the border and what we’re seeing is increased linkages in those investigations. Those firearms are being used in multiple incidents throughout the province of Ontario and we know that as a result of our investigations.”

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Data from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives paints a similar picture.

Of the guns recovered in Canada, over 80 per cent have been traced back to the United States, from 2021 through to 2024.

“Tracking of firearms are important to us, not just the shooting themselves, but also where the firearms came from,” said Schulenberg. “It helps us identify timelines, and it helps us establish patterns so that we can more readily interrupt and disrupt the smuggling of firearms.”

In a statement to CHCH News, the Canada Border Services Agency says it has a policy to trace 100 per cent of firearms seized at ports of entry, and where serial numbers have been removed, altered, or obliterated, that efforts are made to restore identifying information.

As of April 22, the agency seized 195 firearms this year, 91 per cent of which originated from the U.S.

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