TUCSON, Ariz. – U.S. Border Patrol agents arrested a Tucson man smuggling two illegal aliens near Willcox Tuesday night.
On 8 p.m. Tuesday night, a Tucson Sector agent conducted an immigration related traffic stop near mile marker 291 on state Route 82. During the vehicle stop the agent requested assistance from a nearby Border Patrol canine who then alerted to the vehicle. Two people were found locked in the trunk.
The man and woman, both Mexican nationals illegally present in the United States, are facing immigration violations. The U.S. citizen driver is being charged with felony federal human smuggling charges.
U.S. Border Patrol officials warn that smuggling people in a trunk can be deadly. The dangers, including heat and the risks posed by a vehicle collision, increase when people are placed inside compartments, such as trailers and trunks.
For more details regarding this media release or to schedule a remote interview via LiveU, please contact the Tucson Sector Border Patrol Public Affairs Office at tca-pao@cbp.dhs.gov or by phone at 520-748-3210.