TUCSON – Three United States citizens were arrested over the weekend attempting to smuggle eight Mexican nationals in two separate events on the Tohono O’odham nation on Federal Route 1.
According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Border Patrol agents stopped a sedan for an immigration inspection, on Friday evening. During the inspection, the agent saw six individuals inside the vehicle, five of which were wearing camouflage. The five passengers were found to be illegally present in the United States. The driver, a United States citizen, was placed under arrest.
Then on Sunday, according to CBP, Border Patrol agents conducted an immigration inspection during a vehicle stop on an SUV along Federal Route 1. Following a brief investigation, the agents found the driver and a passenger to be United States citizens attempting to smuggle three additional passengers, who were illegally present in the United States. The driver and passengers were placed under arrest.
All eight passengers were processed for immigration violations while the three United States citizens were charged with human smuggling.