Border Patrol finds 9 immigrants in tractor trailer

The El Centro Sector Border Patrol arrested two people Monday night who attempted to smuggle nine undocumented immigrants into the United States who were locked in the bed of a tractor-trailer.

The Tractor Trailer was referred to secondary inspection after a canine detection team alerted to the rear of the cargo area of the trailer during primary inspection.

“This human smuggling technique is extremely callous,” said Chief Patrol Agent Gloria I. Chavez. “We’ve seen all too often when people are locked inside tractor-trailers like this with no means of escape they are at the mercy of malicious smugglers. Smuggling cases such as these are a high priority for prosecution in the El Centro Sector.”

While conducting surveillance on a 2010 Volvo Tractor Trailer and a Dodge Durango agents found the nine immigrants locked inside the trailer with no way to get out. Agents were able to remove all nine people safely, according to El Centro Sector Border Patrol.