YUMA, Ariz. – Wellton Station agents arrested a United States citizen as he attempted to smuggle three illegal aliens through the Interstate 8 Immigration Checkpoint Wednesday.
in the back of vehicle in which a US citizen
attempted to smuggle them into the
United States Feb. 27.
At approximately 3:35 p.m., a Border Patrol canine working at the primary inspection lane alerted to an odor it was trained to detect emitting from a beige 2016 Chevrolet Malibu. Agents referred the vehicle to the secondary inspection area for further investigation, where they discovered three Mexican nationals unlawfully present in the United States hiding in the trunk with no means of escape.
The driver, a 43-year-old man from Buckeye was also found to be in possession of drug paraphernalia and a testable amount of methamphetamine.
The three male Mexican nationals, a 14-year-old, 34-year-old, and 48-year-old, admitted to illegally crossing into the United States near San Luis Tuesday.
The driver will be charged with alien smuggling, and the three illegal aliens will be processed for immigrations violations.
U.S. Border Patrol canine teams are trained to detect both concealed people and the odors of narcotics.
Federal law allows agents to charge individuals by complaint, a method that allows the filing of criminal activity charges 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.