CBP officers arrest driver after finding Mexican national hidden in vehicle’s gas tank

SAN DIEGO (KYMA) - U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) says officers at the San Ysidro Port of Entry arrested a driver after finding a Mexican national hidden in a vehicle's gas tank last month.

According to CBP, it happened on February 27 at around 7:30 p.m. when officers encountered a 20-year-old man driving a 2005 GMC SUV.

During the initial inspection, CBP says the K9 team alerted officers to the vehicle's undercarriage, prompting them to drive the vehicle to a secondary inspection, where they found a person hidden "inside a non-factory compartment in the gas tank."

CBP then says the person was taken to Scripps Mercy Hospital in Chula Vista, California after they suffered burn injuries during the smuggling attempt.

"This case underscores the dangerous and inhumane tactics employed by smugglers who prioritize profit over human lives," said San Ysidro Port Director Mariza Marin. "Thanks to the vigilance and professionalism of U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers, this individual was located and removed from a life-threatening situation, subsequently receiving the medical attention they needed. CBP remains committed to disrupting smuggling operations that endanger the public."

CBP says, "The driver was arrested and booked into the Metropolitan Correctional Center in San Diego."