November 10, 09

NEWS / CBP Officers Discover 4 Illegal Aliens in 2 Compartments of Same Vehicle

San Diego - U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at ports of entry along the California/ Mexico border seized 1,020 pounds of narcotics valued at $3.6 million over the weekend and stopped the illegal entry of 267 persons, including four aliens discovered in two compartments in the same vehicle.


On Friday, November 6, a 29-year-old male U.S. citizen driving a 1995 Ford F-150 pickup truck entered the San Ysidro port of entry at 3:45 a.m. The officer developed information that prompted him to refer the driver, his 23-year-old passenger and vehicle to the secondary area for a more in-depth investigation.


During the secondary inspection, officers discovered two non-factory compartments affixed to the under carriage of the truck with a total of four illegal aliens hidden inside, two per compartment. Officers located an access panel beneath the driver and passenger seats, that when lifted, allowed them to safely remove all four individuals.

The driver and passenger were transported to the Metropolitan Correctional Center to await arraignment on alien smuggling charges. Three of the illegal aliens were held as material witnesses; the fourth was processed and returned to Mexico.


CBP officers stopped an additional 263 persons illegally attempting to enter the country, using a variety of methods, including using passports and other documents that did not belong to them, counterfeit documents, and attempting to avoid the inspection process altogether.


CBP officer’s also seized 775 pounds of marijuana, 101 pounds of cocaine, and 144 pounds of methamphetamine in 22 separate incidents from 6 a.m. on Friday through 6 a.m. on Monday.

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/newsroom/news_releases/11092009_8.xml

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