CBP: Three arrested for smuggling 52 undocumented immigrants

EL CENTRO, Calif. (KYMA, KECY)-Border Patrol agents arrested three people for smuggling 52 undocumented immigrants eastbound on Highway 98. 

The El Centro Sector Border Patrol agents say the incident occurred on Friday at approximately 5:08 a.m. A Remote Video Surveillance System (RVSS) operator reported a stake bed truck and van suspected of human smuggling near the border wall west of Mount Signal Road.

When agents responded to the location, it says the stake bed truck, and the van kept driving away from the border to Highway 98.   Agents immediately conducted a vehicle stop on the stake truck on Mount Signal Road and advised other agents that the van continued eastbound on Highway 98. 

Agents approached the driver of the stake truck and said the driver, a 22-year-old U. S. citizen man admitted to having undocumented immigrants in the rear cargo area of the truck. 

After searching the vehicle, it found 37 people hiding under a black tarp in the bed of the truck.  The smuggled group consisted of 36 adult Mexican nationals and one adult Guatemalan national illegally present in the United States. 

Moments later, agents found the van traveling eastbound on Highway 98 and performed a vehicle stop on the van.  Agents approached the driver and front-seat passenger and determined both to be U. S. citizens. 

Further inspection of the vehicle revealed 15 people in the back of the van. 

Agents interviewed the occupants and determined all to be adult Mexican nationals illegally present in the United States.

The three U. S. citizens and 52 undocumented immigrants, consisting of 35 men and 17 women between the ages of 18 and 52 were placed under arrest and were transported to the El Centro station for further processing.

Both the stake truck driver and van driver face criminal charges for human smuggling.