TUCSON, Ariz. – Tucson Sector Border Patrol agents from the Nogales Station arrested a U.S. citizen attempting to smuggle three illegal aliens through the immigration checkpoint on Interstate 19, near Amado, Arizona, Friday afternoon.
An agent working the primary lane of inspection referred the female driver of a Nissan Sentra for a secondary inspection. Agents found one Mexican national and two Guatemalan nationals concealed in the trunk of her car. All three men were illegally present in the United States.
Agents arrested the 34-year-old driver from Tucson for human smuggling and seized the vehicle.
The Mexican and Guatemalan nationals are being processed for immigration violations.
Federal law allows agents to charge individuals by complaint, a method that allows the filing of charges for criminal activity without inferring guilt. An individual is presumed innocent unless and until competent evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials welcome assistance from the community. Citizens can report suspicious activity to the Border Patrol and remain anonymous by calling 1-877-872-7435 toll free. Reporting illicit activity could result in saving someone’s life.