Man convicted of smuggling 207 pounds of marijuana through Akwesasne – WWNY
SYRACUSE, New York (WWNY) – A federal jury has found a man guilty of smuggling 207 pounds of marijuana into the U.S. through the Akwesasne Mohawk Indian Reservation.
Wenjian Zhuo, a 32-year-old a Chinese national and lawful permanent resident of the United States, was convicted of possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute following.
Prosecutors said that in January 2025, Zhuo drove from New York City to the Akwesasne Mohawk Indian Reservation, where his van was loaded with 207 pounds of marijuana.
As he began the drive back to New York City, they said Border Patrol pulled him over and seized the marijuana.
“For far too long, criminal networks have exploited the Akwesasne Mohawk Indian Reservation as a gateway for smuggling illegal drugs into our country. We will not tolerate anyone using this border region as a safe haven for trafficking. If you attempt to move narcotics through this corridor, you will be investigated, arrested, prosecuted, and held fully accountable. Border Patrol and DEA work every day to close this valve and this time, they were successful,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarcone in a statement.
Zhuo will be sentenced on June 23. He faces up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $1 million and a term of supervised release of at least 3 years.
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