Tombstone, Arizona - Willcox Border Patrol agents arrested a 41-year-old Bisbee woman Sunday morning after finding two Mexican nationals locked in the trunk of her vehicle during a secondary inspection at the State Route 80 Immigration Checkpoint near Tombstone.
After an agent working the primary inspection lane referred the driver of a Mercury sedan for a secondary inspection, a Border Patrol canine alerted to an odor it was trained to detect coming from the vehicle’s trunk. When agents opened the trunk, they discovered a 32-year-old man and 44-year-old woman who had entered the U.S. illegally.
Agents arrested the driver on human smuggling charges and seized the vehicle. The Mexican nationals are being processed for immigration violations.
As temperatures continue to climb, Border Patrol officials warn that Arizona’s high temperatures can kill humans riding in the trunk of a car. Other dangers include carbon monoxide poisoning or being crushed in a rear-end collision.
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.