SAULT STE. MARIE, MI – A traffic stop in the Upper Peninsula resulted in the arrest of 10 illegal immigrants, one of which is a convicted drug dealer.

The arrests came after U.S. Border Patrol agents from the Sault Ste. Marie station stopped a white Chevrolet van in Munising on Aug. 12.

Upon questioning, the driver and nine passengers admitted to being in the United States illegally and not having any documents allowing them to be or remain in the country.

During processing agents found that four of the individuals had previously been removed from the country, most notably Jose Bernal-Medeles, a Mexican man convicted of narcotics charges in both Minnesota and Wisconsin and removed from the U.S. in 2001, 2007, and 2015.

“Today the men and woman of the United States Border Patrol made Munising safer by removing a convicted illegal alien drug dealer and nine others from the streets,” said Sault Ste. Marie Acting Patrol Agent in Charge Andrew Halonen.

“Our agents will continue to enforce the laws of the United States while also continuing to keep our country, state, and local communities safe.”

Bernal and the three others previously removed from the country were turned over to the custody of ICE/ERO. The rest of the group is being held pending removal proceedings.