Nogales, Arizona - Nogales Border Patrol agents arrested a 33-year-old Nogales man Wednesday afternoon after finding an 18-year-old male Guatemalan national in the trunk of his vehicle at the Intestate 19 Immigration Checkpoint.
Agents working the primary inspection lane referred the driver of a Ford Mustang for a secondary inspection after a Border Patrol canine alerted to an odor it is trained to detect. When agents opened the vehicle’s trunk, they discovered the man inside, hiding behind a cardboard diaper box.
Agents seized the vehicle and arrested the driver for human smuggling. The Guatemalan national was processed for immigration violations.
Border Patrol officials warn that riding in the trunk of a car is dangerous due to the possibilities of carbon monoxide poisoning and the risk of serious injury or death from a vehicle collision.
Federal law allows agents to charge individuals by complaint, a method that allows the filing of charges for criminal activity without inferring guilt. An individual is presumed innocent unless and until competent evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials welcome assistance from the community. Individuals can report suspicious activity to the Border Patrol and remain anonymous by calling 1-877-872-7435 toll free. Reporting illicit activity could result in saving someone’s life.