Border Patrol camera operators spotted a large group of migrants on February 20 who illegally entered California by illegally crossing through a compromised section of border wall, according to information obtained from San Diego Sector Border Patrol officials. The operators observed a group of six human smuggling vehicles loading up the migrants just north of the secondary border wall.
The RAV-4 eventually struck the center median and became disabled in National City, California. The occupants of the SUV bailed out and agents engaged in a foot pursuit.
Another agent successfully stopped a black Chevrolet Tahoe. The other vehicles managed to escape.
Agents continued searching for four additional smuggling vehicles. Those are identified as a white Volkswagen Jetta, a white Lexus IS300, a black Mercedes sedan, and a red Kia sedan that are believed to be involved in what officials described as a “brazen smuggling event.”
“These smugglers endangered the lives of these migrants, the traveling public, and our agents,” San Diego Sector Border Patrol Chief Patrol Agent Aaron M. Heitke said in a written statement. “I would implore anyone with knowledge of this incident to come forward and help us bring these criminals to justice.”
Officials said the driver of the Mercedes is thought to be a fugitive who is currently out of jail on a bond. The bondsman is searching for the alleged human smuggler following the fugitive’s removal of an ankle monitor. The bondsman tracked the man to an Otay Mesa neighborhood where he disappeared and remains on the run.
The agents transported the 14 Mexican nationals to a processing station for removal to Mexico.
