Traffic stop nets 17 immigration arrests
April 26, 2008 09:26 EDT

SWEETWATER, Tenn. (AP) -- Seventeen immigrants without identification were arrested after a routine traffic stop on Interstate 75 in East Tennessee.

A Monroe County officer stopped a large van Wednesday night on suspicion of driving under the influence.

Three Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agents from Knoxville, about 45 miles away, took Hispanic immigrants into custody.

None of the passengers nor the driver had valid identification. According to police, some of the van's passengers were headed to states in the northeast.

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Information from: The Knoxville News Sentinel, http://www.knoxnews.com
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