Border Patrol arrests 24 illegal immigrants, alleged smugglers
Agents from El Centro Sector Border Patrol arrested 24 illegal immigrants, as well as a man and woman attempting to smuggle them into the United States, at an immigration checkpoint on Highway 111 in Salton City Tuesday.
At 3:20 p.m. Tuesday, a 2005 Chevrolet van approached the Highway 111 checkpoint. Once the vehicle came to a stop, Border Patrol agents spoke with a man a 29-year-old man and 29-year-old woman in the cab of the vehicle.
“The agent assigned primary inspection questioned the woman as to her citizenship to which she replied, ‘United States citizen,'” read the Border Patrol news release. “The agent then questioned the 29-year-old male passenger, to which he replied, ‘Mexican citizen.'”
The vehicle was then waived along for secondary inspection. During the subsequent search, agents found 24 people, 20 Mexican men, 2 Mexican women, a Mexican juvenile, and a Guatemalan man. It was determined that they were in the country illegally after interviews with Border Patrol.
“The handling of this van could have been drastically altered due to overloading of passengers,” said Chief Patrol Agent Gloria I. Chavez. “These two smugglers obviously had no regard to the safety of the people they were smuggling, as no one in the back of the van was secured with a seat belt.”
The woman driving the vehicle and the man in the cab were arrested on suspicion of smuggling illegal immigrants and are being held in custody pending prosecution.
The 24 illegal immigrants are being held as material witnesses for the criminal case.
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Noticias en español: Telemundo 15
