Border Patrol makes 66 arrests in Dome Valley

Yuma Sun
FROM STAFF REPORTS
Dec 7, 2005

A U.S. Border Patrol tactical checkpoint set up in Dome Valley to catch smuggling vehicles dodging other checkpoints led to the arrest of 66 illegal aliens Tuesday and Wednesday.

Yuma sector Border Patrol spokesman Michael Gramley declined to release the exact location of the checkpoint but said it was set up to intercept traffic in the Dome Valley area that was attempting to avoid the checkpoints on Highway 95 and eastbound Interstate 8.

"We did operate a checkpoint in a similar location last year due to similar intelligence," Gramley said. "It was also successful."

Gramley said the checkpoint was operational for several hours at a time on both Tuesday and Wednesday. He said the 66 apprehensions were a "significant number."

Sixty-four illegal aliens from Mexico, one from El Salvador and one from Guatemala were apprehended at the checkpoint. Gramley said 25 labor buses were stopped at the checkpoint, and 56 apprehensions were made from those buses.

"The main reason was not to target agricultural workers, but to apprehend illegal aliens who were using the Dome Valley corridor to avoid our other checkpoints," Gramley said.

Two U.S. citizens and two lawfully admitted permanent residents from Mexico were arrested on outstanding warrants at the checkpoint, and two U.S. citizens with small amounts of narcotics were detained and turned over to local authorities, according to the release.

Since the beginning of the fiscal year Oct. 1 through Tuesday, Yuma sector agents have apprehended 20,120 illegal aliens, according to the Border Patrol.

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