Illegal Immigrants Picked Up On Interstate 40

1 hour, 53 minutes ago
Apr 25, 2007


During a routine traffic stop on Wednesday, Bernalillo County sheriff's deputies said they picked up 18 illegal immigrants. It happened just on Interstate 40 west of Paseo del Volcan. Deputies said all 18 were riding in the bed of a pickup truck, which Sheriff Darren White said is a major cause for concern. He told Action 7 News his department and the passengers were lucky the truck did not crash, because it could have been a very deadly situation.

The sheriff's office does not know the country of origin of the people they arrested.

The department turned the driver and the passengers over to immigration officials for further investigation.

The sheriff also says his agents are running into this type of human smuggling operation more and more on New Mexico interstates.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/koat/20070426/lo_koat/13131686