U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the San Ysidro Port of Entry arrested a driver on Feb. 27 after discovering a Mexican national concealed in a non-factory compartment built into the vehicle’s gas tank.
The incident happened at approximately 7:30 p.m., when officers encountered a 20-year-old man driving a 2005 GMC SUV. During an initial inspection, a CBP canine team alerted to the undercarriage of the vehicle, prompting officers to move it to a secondary inspection area. There, they found an individual hidden inside a compartment within the gas tank.
Emergency personnel transported the person found in the compartment to Scripps Mercy Hospital in Chula Vista, California, for treatment of burn injuries sustained 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.”
The driver was arrested and booked into Metropolitan Correctional Center in San Diego.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection describes itself as America's frontline: "the nation's largest law enforcement organization and the world's first unified border management agency." The agency says its more than 67,000 employees work across land, air, and sea to enforce safe travel and trade while enhancing national security.
