91 illegal immigrants found packed into box truck

Paul Cicala Reports

May 20, 2006 12:44 AM

On Wednesday, a box truck packed with 70 immigrants crashed near Sierra Vista, and Thursday night, a box truck was found in Sonoita, this time with 91 immigrants inside.

While no one was hurt, the possibility of a more tragic outcome is very real.

“It’s a very dangerous way of smuggling people, and it's a very callous method of moving people,” says Jim Hawkins, a U.S. Border Patrol Spokesman from the Tucson Sector.

Hawkins says that crowding dozens of illegal immigrants inside of a box truck, or sometimes 18-wheelers, is something that's becoming increasingly common in southern Arizona.

“For these smugglers, it's all about the money. They don't care how they get them across. They just want the money,” says Hawkins.

In Thursday night’s case near Sonoita, the coyote, or immigrant smuggler, crammed 91 illegal immigrants inside of the truck.

“The only person we haven't found is the driver yet,” says Hawkins, “and they'll just cram as many as they can in there with total disregard for their safety."

Larry Peterson is one of a number of Santa Cruz County residents that say they see this type of smuggling all the time.

“I know it's happening all the time, and half these vehicles are probably carrying illegals,” says Peterson, “They probably cross hundreds a day across our ranch.”

“We had one stop in front of our business, and it was a small car and 6 or 9 guys crammed in there,” says another Sonoita resident.

Hawkins adds, “It’s a huge problem and it's going to take several years to get control of this situation."