34 arrested in two failed human smuggling attempts

IMPERIAL, Calif. (KYMA, KECY)-Border Patrol agents arrest two men in two separate human smuggling events in Imperial Valley on Monday afternoon.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) say the first incident happened on Monday at approximately 3:40 p.m. Agents came across a white Ford Econoline van suspected of being used for alien smuggling near the area of East Ross Road and Cannon Road in El Centro. 

As agents approached the vehicle, it found a 26-year-old driver attempting to smuggle 24 undocumented immigrants inside the van. All the individuals were arrested and taken in for further processing.

The driver, a U.S. citizen, was processed administratively for human smuggling. The 24 undocumented immigrants consisted of 21 men, two women, and one juvenile boy who were sent back to Mexico.

The second incident happened 5:45 p.m. when agents conducted a vehicle stop on a white Freightliner tractor-trailer that was potentially being used for human smuggling approximately 5 miles north of Brawley.   

During the stop, agents discovered that the driver was a 40-year-old undocumented immigrant from Mexico. 

After searching the trailer, agents found eight undocumented immigrants that were locked inside of the utility trailer. The human smuggler and all eight undocumented immigrants were arrested and taken in for processing.

The driver was processed administratively for human smuggling. The eight individuals, all men, were sent back to Mexico.