DOUGLAS, AZ – On Friday morning, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Port of Douglas officers used familiarity with frequent border crossers to catch a suspected human smuggler.
According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), as officers encountered a 40-year-old woman attempting to cross into the United States. An officer recognized the driver but told fellow officers the woman routinely crossed in a different vehicle. This prompted them to refer the woman to pull a Volkswagen beetle in for a secondary inspection. When officers opened the rear trunk, they discovered a 39-year-old Mexican male inside without a way to get out.
“This incident highlights the attention to detail of our officers, and the effort they put forth daily to keep the residents of our bi-national communities safe,” said Douglas Area Port Director Jeffrey A. Wilson.
The driver and passenger were processed and turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcements’ Homeland Security Investigations.