2 entrant- smuggling tries halted
ARIZONA DAILY STAR
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 08.23.2008

U.S. Border Patrol agents arrested three U.S. citizens Thursday night in two incidents involving the smuggling of illegal immigrants and carrying weapons, officials said.
The first arrest occurred Thursday about 9 p.m. near Marana when agents stopped a vehicle, an agency press release said. They found four illegal immigrants in the trunk of the vehicle and a loaded 9 mm pistol under the seat. Agents took all five people into custody.
The driver, a U.S. citizen, was arrested on suspicion of immigrant smuggling and endangerment, the release said.
The second incident occurred Thursday night north of Douglas on U.S. 191, about 38 miles north of the U.S.-Mexican border, when agents stopped a car with two women, both Americans, the release said.
During questioning of the driver, agents noticed a handgun by the driver and movement under a pile of blankets in the rear seat area, the release said. Agents found two illegal immigrants hiding under the floorboard, beneath the blankets.
Agents arrested the two women and searched the vehicle, finding drug paraphernalia and a small bottle with marijuana inside. One of the women was held on suspicion of immigrant smuggling and endangerment, the release said.
Since Oct. 1, agents in the Border Patrol's Tucson Sector have arrested more than 1,800 U.S. citizens suspected of human- or drug-smuggling.




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