A 43-year-old U.S. citizen was arrested by Border Patrol agents after they caught him smuggling 8 illegal aliens within the cabin area of the semi-truck he was driving.
According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), last week, Arizona Department of Public Safety officials requested Border Patrol assistance on a vehicle stop just east of the Ligurta Rest Area on Interstate 8 eastbound lanes.
Border Patrol agents conducted immigration inspections of the occupants and discovered seven Mexican nationals and a Honduran national without proper documentation that would allow them to work or reside in the U.S. legally.
Agents ran records checks on the eight adult males and revealed that one is a convicted felon who previously served 18 months in prison for possession of a controlled substance.
The driver was booked on smuggling charges. The vehicle was seized, and the eight passengers are being held as material witnesses.