Jamul, Calif.— U.S. Border Patrol agents arrested a man and his female companion at the Brown Field checkpoint on State Route 94 this week for human smuggling.
On Tuesday afternoon, agents encountered the driver of a cargo box truck as he arrived at the Highway 94 checkpoint near Jamul. The 45-year-old driver and his 26-year-old companion displayed nervous demeanors and were referred for a secondary inspection. A K-9 team performed a cursory inspection of the truck resulting in an alert to the area behind the driver.
A search of the driver’s cab revealed drug paraphernalia, consisting of two glass pipes and a small amount of marijuana. Agents requested permission to search the storage area and the driver said he did not have the key for the lock.
Agents received permission to cut the storage-area lock. They discovered two Mexican nationals inside who were hiding behind furniture and household items. When questioned, the two Mexican nationals admitted they were illegally present in the U.S.
The driver and woman were arrested for alien smuggling and are being held in Customs and Border Protection custody. The two Mexican nationals are being held as material witnesses and the box truck is being held as evidence.
