5 arrested near N.B.-Maine border

Three Canadians andtwocitizens of Guyanaappeared in St. Stephen court Monday on charges related to human smuggling.

The five were arrested Sunday evening attemping to cross the St. Croix river to Woodland, Maine, fromMohannes, near the Maine border, 16 kilometres west of St. Stephen.

The three New Brunswick mencharged are Byron Lawson Murray, 56, John Wayne Richardson, 47, and Richardson's son, JohnJason Richardson, 20.

Murray is the husband of Savita Singh-Murray, 38, who faced federal prosecution in the United States in June 2005 after allegedly attempting to smuggle illegal aliens across the border.

The other two are a 40-year-old woman and young person from the South American country of Guyana.The woman and young person are being held in custody by Canadian immigration.

The three men are being remanded in custody, with a bail hearing scheduled for 1:30 p.m. local time Tuesday.

All five are facing charges of conspiracy to violate U.S. immigration laws.

The arrests were made following an investigation by the RCMP with the help of Canada Border Services officers.