USBP: Six arrested in human smuggling attempt at I-8

A total of 12 Mexican nationals and one El Salvadoran national were apprehended

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - Border Patrol agents arrested six people in one day after being accused of smuggling migrants in their vehicles.

U.S. Border Patrol agents working at Interstate 8 on Wednesday found two smuggling attempts within 10 minutes apart. In the first incident, approximately 2:45 a.m., agents sent an Infinity sedan to secondary after a canine alerted to the vehicle. A search of the car led agents to find a man hiding in the car.

They identify him as Luis Hernandez-Huazo, an aggravated felon convicted of child cruelty that resulted in a death/injury in March 2012 out of Monterrey, Calif. Agents arrested both the driver and his passenger.

In the second incident, agents sent a Chevrolet Tahoe to secondary. They found a Salvadorian couple in the U.S. as a Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipient smuggling four Mexican nationals.

Four hours later, agents pulled over a Nissan Quest. They say the 20-year-old driver from Yuma smuggled four Mexican nationals and one Salvadorian.

Six hours later, agents assisted the Yuma County Sheriff's Office with a vehicle stop on I-8 near mile marker 32 in another human smuggling attempt. The 58-year-old man driving a Toyota Highlander was initially pulled over for a traffic violation. He told agents he was alone. However, a canine alerted the vehicle, and as a result, agents found three Mexican nationals hiding under clothes and bags in the back seat of the car.

Agents say most of the migrants will be returned to Mexico.