Sahuarita, Arizona - A 23-year-old Tucson woman in a Nissan Altima sped away from the Interstate 19 Immigration Checkpoint Friday afternoon after a Nogales Border Patrol Station agent directed her to a secondary inspection area.
After the woman stopped north of Sahuarita, agents searched the vehicle and discovered a 14-year-old female and a 30-year-old male, both identified as Mexican nationals, in the vehicle’s trunk. Agents arrested the woman for human smuggling and detained the Mexican nationals for immigration violations.
Federal law allows agents to charge individuals by complaint, a method that allows the filing of charges for criminal activity without inferring guilt. An individual is presumed innocent unless and until competent evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials welcome assistance from the community. Citizens can report suspicious activity to the Border Patrol and remain anonymous by calling 1-877-872-7435 toll free. Reporting illicit activity could result in saving someone’s life.