CALEXICO, Calif. – El Centro Sector Border Patrol agents arrested a United States citizen and seized a cloned Border Patrol vehicle, Sunday evening.
The incident occurred at approximately 6:25 p.m., when El Centro station’s Remote Video Surveillance System Operators observed and notified agents of a possible cloned Border Patrol Chevrolet Tahoe traveling north near Exit 6 and driving eastbound on Highway 98.
Agents responded and attempted to conduct a vehicle stop on the cloned vehicle, but the vehicle continued to travel eastbound. An agent positioned ahead of the vehicle’s location successfully deployed a Controlled Tire Deflation Device to slow the vehicle down to a complete stop, near Mount Signal Road and Highway 98.
As agents approached the vehicle, the driver attempted to abscond on foot and conceal himself inside some brush. He was later apprehended and in an immediate search of the vehicle, agents confirmed it as a clone. Agents determined that the U.S. citizen was the sole occupant of the vehicle.
The driver, an 18-year-old United States citizen, was placed under arrest and transported to El Centro Processing Center for further investigation.
The vehicle will be seized as per El Centro Sector guidelines.
“The border in El Centro Sector is closed, and this is yet another example of our zero tolerance for smuggling and illegal entry” said Chief Patrol Agent Gregory Bovino. “I am so proud of El Centro border security professionals who make it awfully hard on smugglers to ply their trade here!”