SAN DIEGO (CNS) - U.S. Customs and Border Protection San Diego Field Office officers arrested a driver suspected of trying to smuggle a Mexican national who was concealed in a compartment built into the vehicle's gas tank at the San Ysidro Port of Entry, it was announced Monday.
The alleged smuggling attempt occurred at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 27, when CBP officers pulled over a 20-year-old man driving a 2005 GMC SUV. During an initial inspection, a CBP canine team alerted to the vehicle's undercarriage, according to the agency.
Border officials said officers drove the vehicle to a secondary inspection area and found a person hidden inside a "non-factory compartment" in the gas tank area. Emergency personnel took the person to Scripps Mercy Hospital in Chula Vista, 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," San Ysidro Port Director Mariza Marin said in a statement. "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," Marin added.
The driver, whose name and age have not yet been released, was arrested and booked into the Metropolitan Correctional Center in San Diego.
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