MIAMI — Federal authorities say a gun trafficking investigation with ties to Florida and Canada is “far from over” after agents arrested five men accused of moving dozens of weapons across the border and fueling violent crime.
U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida and Cheryl Harrell, special agent in charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Tampa Field Division, announced the charges this week, saying the case involves a “sophisticated transnational criminal organization.”
Investigators said Alfredo Santana, 32, of Miami, Tyler Corbin, 25, of Tampa, and three Canadian nationals, Omar Singateth, 24, Edward Noel, 26, and Arif Jhuman, 39, are accused of trafficking nearly 30 guns into Canada between October 2023 and June 2024.
Authorities say those weapons have been linked to at least three homicides in Canada.
One of those homicides launched a transnational investigation.
“It wasn’t something that just happened overnight,” said Kehoe. “Throughout it all, we stayed in contact with ATF and our friends in Canada to get the additional information on other weaponry.”
The probe first became visible to South Florida residents on Dec. 4, when federal agents said they raided a home on Northwest 41st Street near North Miami Avenue.
Video recorded by a witness shows ATF agents breaking through a gate and a window before taking Santana into custody. Property was seen being removed from the home.
Authorities said search warrants were also executed on communication devices as part of the broader investigation.
“Today’s announcement is a sneak peek into the complex story of a sophisticated transnational criminal organization that fueled violent crime in Canada for sheer profit,” Harrell said.
He said all five men are facing federal charges that include conspiracy to traffic firearms, illegally trafficking firearms, and dealing firearms without a license.
Kehoe emphasized that the investigation remains active.
“Let me be very clear to you ladies and gentlemen, this investigation continues. It is far from over,” he said. “We’re going to get to the bottom of this trafficking organization.”
Investigators say the motive was profit, noting that those guns worth only hundreds of dollars in the United States could sell for thousands once smuggled into Canada. The alos confirmed that the majority of the weapons were purchased with narcotics.
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