Search suspended for man linked to deaths of 8 people, police say efforts exhausted

Akwesasne Mohawk police are suspending the organized search of local waterways for a man linked to the eight people whose bodies were pulled from the St. Lawrence River last week.

Police say they believe they have exhausted search efforts on the water for 30-year-oldCaseyOakesand are set to resume normal patrol operations, unless they receive "actionable intelligence."

Oakeswas last seen on the night of March 29 operating a boat found next to the bodies of two families, one from Romania and the other from India.

Police say the families were trying to cross into the United States through Akwesasne Mohawk Territory, which straddles provincial and international boundaries and includes regions of Quebec, Ontario and New York state.

Authorities have said the area's geography makes it a popular spot for human smugglers, with police completing 48 separate interceptions involving 80 people trying to enter the United States illegally since January.

Akwesasne Mohawk police say they will make continued efforts to findOakesduring daily operations and are asking the public to be on the lookout.