A Bisbee Police officer working under Operation Stonegarden, with Border Patrol assistance, broke up a human smuggling attempt Sunday morning, leading to the arrest of four illegal aliens.
Agents from the Border Patrol’s Brian A. Terry Station were called to the intersection of Highway 92 and Naco Highway to assist a Bisbee Police Department officer in apprehending four fleeing subjects.
Horse Patrol and Canine Unit agents converged on the area and, after an exhaustive search, located and arrested four Mexican nationals illegally present in the country.
During a subsequent search of the area, agents found and seized a vehicle near the scene, believed to have been involved in the thwarted smuggling attempt.
All four Mexican nationals, ages 8, 21, 38, and 54, will be processed and remain in custody pending charges for immigration violations.
Collaboration between local, tribal, state and federal law enforcement agencies has created a greater force against transnational criminal organizations in southern Arizona, increasing public safety and disrupting illicit enterprises that endanger human lives.
Operation Stonegarden is a Department of Homeland Security program that grants funds to other law enforcement agencies to enhance and strengthen border security throughout the United States.