Agents nab alien smugglers

Agents nab alien smugglers
FROM STAFF REPORTS
Nov 10, 2005

The U.S. Border Patrol stopped two alien-smuggling vehicles Thursday, but not before one of the pickups rammed a Border Patrol vehicle and the other drove through several red lights in efforts to escape.

The incident ended with the capture of 21 illegal immigrants, all from Mexico, and the arrest of the unidentified driver who ran the red lights, Border Patrol said.

There were no injuries in the incident, but it came on the heels of a smuggling attempt Tuesday that resulted in injuries of seven illegal aliens when the truck carrying them rolled over on Red Mountain Road while fleeing Border Patrol agents.

Michael Gramley, spokesman for the Border Patrol's Yuma sector, said this week's incidents reflect an increasing tendency on the part of smugglers to put aliens and bystanders at risk as they resort to reckless driving in populated areas to elude the Border Patrol.

"We believe it's done out of frustration as (Border Patrol agents) gain more operational control within Yuma sector," he said. "The smugglers are becoming more desperate, and they don't want to face prosecution for their actions."

No federal charges exist to prosecute the arrested driver for reckless driving, Gramley said, but the circumstances of the chase will allow prosecutors to charge him with aggravate smuggling counts that carry a stiffer penalties than do standard smuggling crimes.

"By endangering the lives of innocent citizens and the people they are smuggling, they do face more serious sentences when they are apprehended," Gramley said.

Thursday's smuggling effort began in the morning when Border Patrol remote video surveillance cameras picked up images of two pickups crossing the dry Colorado River bed in tandem, near County 10th Street.

As Border Patrol agents approached, one of the trucks turned back toward Mexico, Border Patrol said, while the second truck continued on to Yuma.

The truck that headed back to Mexico collided with a marked Border Patrol truck that tried to block its escape. It then continued to the river's edge, where all but one of the aliens fled on foot into Mexico. Agents detained the remaining alien in the rear of the truck, the patrol said.

The second smuggling vehicle, followed by a Border Patrol airplane, ran several red lights in Yuma and drove up onto a sidewalk at one point, the patrol said.

The chase continued north on Highway 95 until the driver abruptly stopped the truck, let out 20 aliens and then fled on foot as well, the patrol said. The pilot followed the driver on the ground until agents caught up to him and arrested him.

The 20 aliens, some of whom were young children, also were apprehended.

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