Illegal immigrants found in vans
By HEATHER FAULHEFER
Evening Sun Reporter
Article Launched: 03/07/2008 10:41:20 AM EST


Eight illegal immigrants were discovered in two vans during a series of traffic stops conducted by state and local police Wednesday.

Police observed the two vans with North Carolina tags traveling together on Route 15 in Cumberland Township around 1 p.m., according to Cpl. Kenneth Hassinger of Troop-H Vice.

At first, police stationed at a location on Route 134 (Taneytown Road) thought each van contained only one driver and no passengers, but when the vans were stopped 2 miles farther down the road for driving in the left passing lane, police noticed one of the vans contained five passengers not visible before, and the other contained three passengers, all Hispanic males, Hassinger said.

"When you see only one person, then you notice five other people, it certainly gets your attention," he said.

According to Hassinger, police asked a series of routine questions, but when the passengers were asked to produce documentation, they gave the police driver's licenses from Mexico.

"They freely and almost immediately said they were in the country illegally," Hassinger said.
Upon questioning by police, the passengers said they were working at Carlisle War College and heading to Virginia for another job with intentions to return to Pennsylvania.

The eight illegal immigrants were turned over to the former Immigration and Naturalization Services for the deportation process.

According to First Assistant District Attorney Brian Sinnett, the traffic stop operation is "a tool that's going to be used again."

The traffic stop was one of many during the operation conducted by Pennsylvania State Police, Troop H-Vice, the Bureau of Criminal Investigation and the Cumberland Township Police Department.

Contact Heather Faulhefer at hfaulhefer@eveningsun.com.

http://www.eveningsun.com/localnews/ci_8489441