U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents at the Calexico East port of entry stopped a human smuggling attempt on Friday after discovering a man concealed in a compartment in a Ford F-150 pickup.
The incident began when a 41-year-old Mexican citizen entered the East port driving a 1998 Ford F-150 pickup truck. During a routine inspection, the driver appeared nervous, which prompted the officers to refer the truck for a more thorough inspection.
With the use of a non-invasive imaging system, officers were able to detect anomalies near the truck’s gas tank. After a quick search of that specific area of the truck, agents discovered a man hidden inside a compartment that was built into the top half of the vehicles gas tank.
The concealed man, a 31-year old Chinese citizen, was then escorted into a secure area for further processing.
Agents arrested the driver and charged him for the incident. He was transported to the Imperial County Jail to await arraignment. CBP placed an immigration hold on the undocumented man to initiate removal from the country at the conclusion of any criminal proceedings. The vehicle was seized.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection serves as the unified border agency within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) charged with the management, control and protection of the nation’s borders at and between the official ports of entry.