NEW YORK: Border authorities have arrested an Indian citizen living illegally in the US wanted for child predator charges.
Gurdev Singh, 42, was arrested Wednesday by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the Port of Champlain border crossing in New York.
Singh had an active felony arrest warrant from Indiana.
Singh was processed by CBP officers and turned over to the New York State Police, as a fugitive from justice.
He is currently being held by the Clinton County Sheriff's Office, awaiting extradition.
CBP officers encountered Singh after he was refused entry into Canada.
During his primary inspection, the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) indicated that Singh was wanted in Indiana for child solicitation, solicitation for sexual intercourse.
Singh was taken into custody by CBP officers and escorted to the secondary examination area for further investigation.
CBP officers verified the identity of Singh and confirmed the arrest warrant issued against him.
Additionally, on inspecting Singh's possessions, CBP officers discovered several bladed weapons, including a sword and a hatchet.
Further investigation revealed that Singh was also an illegal alien, who had overstayed his visitor's visa dating back to 2016.
Champlain Port Director Steve Bronson lauded the CBP officers for identifying and arresting Singh, 'a known child predator".
"Effectively leveraging our national law enforcement resources in combination with our officer's unique skillset and experience led to the apprehension of this wanted fugitive," Bronson said, adding that those living illegally in the US will be held accountable, "especially those who prey upon our children".