TUCSON, Ariz. – Tucson Sector Border Patrol agents from the Nogales Station arrested a Rio Rico man and three illegal aliens during a foiled smuggling attempt at the Immigration Checkpoint near Amado, Arizona, Tuesday afternoon.
Agents working the primary inspection lanes encountered a Dodge Intrepid driven by a 31-year-old man, with no other visible occupants inside the vehicle.
During immigration inspection, agents discovered two Guatemalan nationals and one Mexican national, illegally present in the country, hidden inside the trunk of the vehicle. The driver and illegal aliens, ages 19, 22, and 31, were arrested and the vehicle was seized.
The driver, a United States citizen, is facing human smuggling charges and the illegal aliens 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 or 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.