NEW YORK: U.S. Border Patrol Agents arrested 15 imposters, 17 smugglers and the seized of nearly 500 pounds of marijuana along the Interstate 8 corridor in separate incidents over the weekend, authorities said Monday.
Agents arrested 17 Mexican nationals during separate smuggling incidents near Sentinel, Ariz., Friday and Saturday. Agents encountered each group south of I-8, attempting to smuggle marijuana into the United States. A total 490 pounds of marijuana, worth an estimated $245,450, was seized, according to the Border Patrol.
Fifteen individuals posing as legal residents were arrested at the Wellton Station checkpoint on I-8, east of Yuma, in separate incidents Oct. 2 and 3. All were Mexican nationals, and each presented valid, but falsely acquired, immigration documents during a secondary inspection of a commercial conveyance. Members of the group falsely claimed U.S. citizenship by presenting U.S. passports and lawfully-admitted permanent resident cards belonging to individuals other than themselves. It is unknown if any of the documents were reported stolen.
