Ontario truck driver arrested on drug charges at the border Publisher: U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of New York Byline: Barbara Burns Dateline: Buffalo, New York Date: 28 August 2024 Subjects: American Government , Crime, Trucking

BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Bashir Kasozi, 41, of Ontario, Canada, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with importation of morphine and possession with intent to distribute a morphine, which carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine.

Assistant U.S. Attorney P. Richard Antoine, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, on the evening of August 23, 2024, Customs and Border Protection officers at the Lewiston Bridge Port of Entry encountered a commercial truck with Ontario plates being driven by Kasozi. During the outbound inspection, Kasozi told a CBP Officer that he was in the United States for three days, coming from Massachusetts with a load of paper. Asked if he had anything to declare, to include prescription or nonprescription narcotics, currency over $10,000, weapons of any kind, or if anyone else was in the vehicle with him, Kasozi stated no. Kasozi was then referred for secondary inspection. A scan of the truck detected an anomaly in the nose of the trailer by the front wall. A subsequent search of that area revealed a skid of 62 brown taped packages.   One of the boxes was searched and found to contain a smaller gold box with a glass vial inside. The glass vials were found to contain morphine.

Kasozi made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Romer and was held pending a detention hearing on September 4, 2024.

The criminal complaint is the result of an investigation by Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Director of Field Operations Rose Brophy, and Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Scarpino.

The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

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Barbara Burns

716-843-5817

Updated August 28, 2024