Border Patrol Agents Arrest Two in Separate Shuttle Bus Smuggling Attempts

TUCSON, Ariz. – Nogales Station Border Patrol agents at the I-19 Immigration Checkpoint arrested an adult woman and a male juvenile who attempted to smuggle meth during separate incidents Tuesday.

Around 2 p.m., agents referred a passenger shuttle van for a routine secondary immigration inspection of its passengers and discovered a 39-year-old female passenger concealing almost a pound of methamphetamine on her body.

Later that evening, a juvenile male in a second shuttle van was found in possession of half a pound of methamphetamine.

Agents arrested both subjects and seized the drugs. The juvenile, a 16-year-old U.S. citizen was turned over to the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office. The 39-year-old female U.S. citizen is facing federal charges for drug smuggling.

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.