Human, Drug Smugglers Busted in Two Arizona Incidents near Border

Yuma Sector Border Patrol agents disrupted two smuggling events late last week near the Arizona border with Mexico. One incident involved a failed human smuggling. The second involved a meth smuggler, officials reported.

On Thursday afternoon, Yuma Sector Border Patrol agents received a call from the Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge regarding a traffic stop made by one of their officers. The agents responded with a K-9 to back up the officer, according to information obtained from Yuma Sector Border Patrol officials.

The agent conducted an immigration interview with the driver, a 26-year-old U.S. citizen, and his four passengers. The agent determined the four passengers where all Mexican nationals illegally present in the United States.

The illegal immigrants, all male, ranged in age from 20 to 33 years. The agents arrested them and the driver.

Under Title 42 Coronavirus protection protocols put in place by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, all four Mexican nationals were returned to Mexico immediately following a medical screening and criminal background investigation.

One day earlier, Border Patrol agents assigned to the Highway 78 interior immigration checkpoint disrupted a shipment of methamphetamine.

Blythe Station agents assigned to the checkpoint observed a 2019 Cadillac XTS approaching with two people in the vehicle. During the initial screening, a K-9 alerted to the possible presence of human or drug cargo. The agents referred the driver, a U.S. citizen from Las Vegas, Nevada, to the secondary inspection area.

The agents searched the XTS and found nearly eleven pounds of methamphetamine hidden inside a suitcase, officials reported. They estimated the street value of the contraband at more than $21,000.

The agent arrested the driver and his passenger — also a U.S. citizen from Las Vegas — and seized the vehicle and the drugs.

Bob Price serves as associate editor and senior news contributor for the Breitbart Texas-Border team. He is an original member of the Breitbart Texas team. Price is a regular panelist on Fox 26 Houston’s What’s Your Point? Sunday-morning talk show. Follow him on Twitter @BobPriceBBTX and Facebook.