Illegal Immigration Operation Busted
BRAWLEY - On Tuesday, January 10th Border Patrol agents from the El Centro Sector disrupted a criminal operation that intended to utilize a Piper airplane as a means to smuggle illegal aliens out of the Imperial Valley.
The incident occurred around 2:30 p.m., when Border Patrol agents conducting surveillance near Brawley, Calif. arrested two illegal aliens after they were dropped off in a vehicle by two suspected smugglers. Border Patrol agents following the vehicle pulled it over and interviewed the driver and passenger.
Further investigation revealed that one of the suspects is a pilot with an airplane located at the Brawley Municipal Airport. Agents conducted a thorough interview with each of the subjects in custody and determined that the men were planning to use the aircraft to further their smuggling operation.
The driver and passenger, both U.S. citizens, were placed under arrest for alien smuggling. In addition, agents seized the vehicle and Piper airplane involved in the smuggling process.
Since fiscal year 2010, the El Centro Sector Border Patrol has seized three airplanes in connection with alien smuggling.
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