Fentanyl, Gun, Migrants Found in Smuggling Vehicles in Arizona near Border

Tucson Sector Border Patrol agents disrupted multiple human smuggling incidents over the past few days. In addition to arresting migrants and their human smugglers, agents also recovered fentanyl and a loaded pistol.

Tucson Sector Chief Patrol Agent John R. Modlin tweeted a report regarding an interdicted human smuggling incident. Agents responded to a request for assistance from the Cochise County Sheriff’s Office regarding a suspicious SUV driving on SR-92 near the Arizona-Mexico border. Agents conducted an immigration interview.

The agents identified the driver as a U.S. citizen. They identified the three passengers as migrants illegally present in the United States.

Agents contacted an EMS crew due to the erratic behavior of the driver, Modlin stated. During a search of the vehicle, agents seized an undisclosed quantity of fentanyl pills. The agents arrested the driver and the migrants.

Modlin also tweeted a report regarding the arrest of a previously convicted felon who was allegedly smuggling two migrants into the U.S. interior.

Court records obtained by Breitbart Texas identified the suspected smuggler as Ahmahd Montez Jackson, a U.S. citizen. The criminal complaint alleges that Border Patrol agents from the Brian A. Terry Station operating a drone surveillance system observed a blue Mercedes E-300 behaving in a suspicious manner near Douglas, Arizona during the early morning hours of August 9. The agents observed the vehicle stopping to load multiple suspected migrants.

Agents arrived at the location and initiated a traffic stop. Agents approached the vehicle and found two people attempting to hide in the rear seats. Jackson told the agents he had just picked up the two people and did not know them.

During an immigration interview, the agents identified the two passengers as citizens of Mexico and Guatemala. The agents placed all three under arrest.

During a search of the vehicle, agents found a Ruger LCP .380 caliber handgun with one round in the chamber and four in the magazine. The agents found the pistol in the glove compartment.

Jackson later allegedly admitted to being paid $500 for each of the smuggled migrants. He was instructed where to pick them up and to drive them to a location in Phoenix.

Jackson also admitted to a previous conviction for armed robbery for which he served multiple years in prison, the complaint states. Investigators say Jackson admitted to knowing the gun was in the car and that he was not allowed to possess a firearm.

Court records show that a Maricopa County Superior Court convicted Jackson on the robbery charge in 2015 and sentenced him to eight years in state prison.

Jackson now faces federal charges related to human smuggling and being a felon in possession of a firearm.