Two women help Border Patrol agents find large group of migrants

17 migrants apprehended

PHOENIX, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - Yuma Sector Border Patrol agents received tips from two young women that lead to the discovery of a smuggling attempt.

The Yuma women were on their way to a bachelorette party in Phoenix when they noticed two vehicles pulled over on the side of Interstate 8 near mile marker 46.

"We saw a truck and an SUV," said one of the women. “They were pulled over on the side of the highway. There were about 20 people waiting on the side of the road, and they just loaded in."

After the vehicle holding the 20 people started driving onto the highway, the women reported what they saw to Yuma Sector Border Patrol and gave them updates as the women and the vehicle kept driving in the same direction.

“I was nervous,” one of the women stated. “I could see every now and then an elbow or some other body part stick up from the bed of the truck. I felt safer because I was in a car and could drive away, but I don’t know what I would do if I had to deal with that many people on my own. I don’t know how you [Border Patrol agents] do that day in and day out.”

The woman expressed her feeling the need to help despite the nervousness because she grew up in Yuma and wanted to do her part.

Yuma Sector and Tuscon Sector Border Patrol agents were able to locate the vehicle and apprehended 17 undocumented immigrants.