TUCSON, Ariz. – Tucson Station Border Patrol agents arrested a 25-year-old Tucson man found smuggling 11 illegal aliens inside the locked bed of his truck Thursday.
That afternoon, an agent initiated a vehicle stop on an F-250 pickup truck driving on State Route 86. The agent questioned the driver and received consent to deploy his K-9 partner, which resulted in a positive alert to an odor the K-9 is trained to detect.
Agents pried open a locked steel hinged door to the utility bed after the driver stated he was unable to open it, revealing 11 individuals.
The individuals inside were laying on top of each other with no water, air conditioning, or means of escape. All were showing signs of heat illness, prompting agents to request emergency medical services.
The individuals were administered first aid and provided fluids, but no advanced medical care was necessary.
The driver of the vehicle was arrested and will face charges for alien smuggling. The 11 persons trapped inside the truck were illegally present in the U.S. and were processed for immigration violations.
