TUCSON, Ariz. – Willcox Border Patrol agents arrested two Tempe men Friday for attempting to smuggle two Mexican nationals through the State Route 80 Immigration Checkpoint.
Agents working the primary inspection lane referred the driver of a Kia Forte for a secondary inspection after a Border Patrol canine alerted to an odor it is trained to detect. When agents looked in the vehicle’s backseat and trunk, they discovered two male Mexican nationals, ages 26 and 17.
Agents noticed the juvenile, found in the trunk, was sweating profusely due to a lack of ventilation. Both Mexican nationals were monitored and questioned at the scene to ensure they were in good health.
Agents seized the vehicle and arrested the 27-year-old driver and 30-year-old passenger for human smuggling. The Mexican nationals were processed for immigration violations.
Border Patrol officials warn that riding in the trunk of a car is dangerous due to the possibilities of carbon monoxide poisoning and the risk of serious injury or death from a vehicle collision.