Border agents find 73 illegal immigrants in truck
By Debbi Baker, Union-Tribune Staff Writer
11:46 a.m. June 8, 2009


This photo provided by the U.S. Border Patrol shows people lined up along the inside of the semi-tractor trailer pulled over in Campo on Saturday, June 6, 2009. (U.S. Border Patrol)

SAN DIEGO — A Mexican man is in federal custody Monday after Border Patrol agents found 73 illegal immigrants inside the semi-truck he was driving.

The man stopped at the Interstate 8 checkpoint in Pine Valley Saturday about 5:45 p.m. and agents decided to inspect his truck after observing the that driver seemed nervous, Border Patrol officials said.

Agents found a plastic container inside the cab which the driver said was methamphetamine. They then opened the doors of the trailer and discovered 50 men and 23 women inside, officials said.

The 50-year-old truck driver was arrested and is in federal custody on suspicion of alien smuggling.

This is the third similar arrest in the last three months. On March 6 agents found 25 people from Mexico inside the cargo area of a tractor-trailer and on April 29, 11 people were found being smuggled inside a modified compartment of a truck.

Debbi Baker: (619) 293-1710;

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