Four British Nationals Apprehended After Allegedly Sneaking into US Through Remote Maine Woods
Four British nationals, who claimed to be mere hikers, were taken into custody by United States authorities after allegedly crossing illegally from Canada into the state of Maine through dense, remote woodland. The individuals were apprehended on April 3 following a tip-off from vigilant maple sugar workers who spotted them walking along an unpaved logging path.
The Defendants and Their Initial Claims
The men identified as Ali Mohammed Ali Abdullah, aged 18 from Liverpool, along with Hameed Mohammed Nagi, Ibrahim Ayyub Khan, and Mohammed Sultan Saleh, were confirmed to be British citizens. Initially, they told border agents they were simply hiking and did not realise they had entered United States territory.
However, this story quickly unravelled when authorities discovered damning GoPro footage. According to an affidavit filed on April 7 in the US District Court for the District of Maine, the video captured Saleh stating, 'I can confirm you are now on US soil.' When Abdullah asked for confirmation, Saleh reportedly showed his phone screen displaying GPS coordinates and declared, 'Now we are in the US. We just made it baby.'
Charges and Legal Proceedings
All four men now face one count each of Entry Without Inspection, a misdemeanour offence that carries a maximum penalty of six months in federal prison and a fine of up to $5,000. They have pleaded not guilty and are currently being held without bail, as reported by the Bangor Daily News.
Abdullah, identified as the lead defendant, appeared in court on April 7 and waived his right to both a preliminary hearing and a detention hearing, consenting to remain in federal custody. His trial is scheduled to begin on June 3. Nagi, Khan, and Saleh also have related cases pending in the same district.
The Bust and Investigation Details
The incident began when two maple sugar workers, heading into Canada, spotted the four men walking south towards the United States on the Golden Road. This 96-mile, primarily unpaved private logging road in Maine stretches to the Quebec border. The workers described the men as appearing to be of Middle Eastern descent, which raised their suspicions.
They promptly alerted a Customs and Border Protection officer at the nearby St Zacharie Port of Entry at approximately 9:15 am. By 9:40 am, the workers returned to report that a third man had informed them about two individuals in a grey Nissan parked on the Golden Road, asking passersby for fuel and Wi-Fi to contact people they were supposed to pick up.
At 10:13 am, that same third man called authorities again to report the Nissan had turned up near his maple sugar shack at mile marker 80. Border Patrol agent Scott Hanton and a Customs and Border Protection officer then drove south on the Golden Road. At mile marker 90, they found fresh footprints in soft dirt, and at mile marker 87, they discovered the four men attempting to conceal themselves in thick vegetation.
'One of the four men was acting nervously,' Hanton wrote in his affidavit, noting they took the men into custody without incident.
Evidence and Further Arrests
After the apprehension, agents found the GoPro footage and searches on Saleh's phone from that day, including queries like 'bangor from my location,' 'boston from bangor,' 'new york from Boston,' and 'Is st zacharie border crossing still used the one near quebec golden road.'
The officers also located the grey Nissan described by the workers, parked near mile marker 80 and out of gas. Inside were two men who identified themselves as US citizens. As the driver exited, the Customs officer saw him reach under the driver's seat, where a loaded 9-millimeter handgun was found. Both men were taken into custody in connection with what the affidavit described as 'a suspected alien smuggling event.'
The passenger later admitted the driver intended to pick up one of the four British nationals, someone he had allegedly dropped off in the same area about 30 days earlier. A forensic review of the driver's cellphone uncovered text messages with an individual believed to be one of the four men, discussing expected arrival times and pickup locations.
Background and Ongoing Investigation
The motive for the alleged illegal entry remains unclear. Records show Abdullah was previously deported from the United States. His application to extend his US visa was denied in March 2025, and he left the country that May. Canadian officials recorded him arriving in Canada on April 1, traveling on a UK passport.
'Law enforcement authorities are attempting to ascertain the purpose of his travel to Maine,' prosecutors wrote. The Daily Mail has reached out to Customs and Border Protection for further comment on the case.
