CALEXICO, Calif. – El Centro Sector Border Patrol agents from the Calexico station stopped a Ford F-150 that was disguised as an Imperial Irrigation District (IID) service vehicle and discovered 14 illegal immigrants hiding in the truck bed and passenger cabin on Monday.
The incident occurred at approximately 7:30 a.m., when a Border Patrol agent observed an IID truck traveling northbound on Highway 111. The agent noticed discrepancies with the markings on the vehicle.
The agent stopped the truck and determined that it was not a legitimate IID vehicle and that the driver was not an IID employee.
Cloned vehicle had 14 illegal aliens hiding inside.
The agent screened the vehicle with a Border Patrol detector dog and discovered 14 individuals hiding in the bed of the truck under a tarp and in the rear of the passenger cabin.
The driver, a 23-year-old male U.S. citizen, was placed under arrest. The suspected illegal immigrants were transported back to the Calexico Station for processing.
Border Patrol agents seized the truck.
The El Centro Sector’s Community Awareness Campaign is a simple and effective program to raise public awareness on the indicators of crime and other threats. We encourage public and private sector employees to remain vigilant and play a key role in keeping our country safe. Please report any suspicious activity to the Border Community Threat Hotline at 1-800-901-2003.