TUCSON, Ariz. – Willcox Border Patrol agents arrested a 24-year-old Phoenix man Sunday morning after finding two male Mexican nationals in the trunk of his vehicle at the State Route 90 Immigration Checkpoint.
Agents working the primary inspection lane referred the driver of a silver sedan for a secondary inspection after a Border Patrol canine alerted to an odor it is trained to detect. When agents opened the vehicle’s trunk, they discovered two men inside, ages 25 and 29.
The vehicle was seized, and the driver arrested for human smuggling. The Mexican nationals were 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. Individuals 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.