Imperial Valley News

San Diego, California - Even through the recent storms in the Tijuana River Valley, smugglers of illegal aliens continue to resort to dangerous means to conduct their criminal activity, showing an utter disregard for human life.

Yesterday in San Ysidro, a 50-year-old male Mexican national was arrested by Border Patrol agents after smuggling a group of illegal aliens through a large storm drain, leaving an injured individual behind. The injured illegal alien is currently receiving treatment for a broken ankle.

Agents arrested a group of five illegal aliens, including the suspected smuggler, yesterday at about 4:40 a.m., near the border, south of the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant on Dairy Mart Road. Agents discovered that after the group illegally jumped the border fence, the smuggler led them down a dangerous 30-foot storm drain to avoid detection while furthering their entry into the country through a near flooded drainage tube.

Agents later found an injured 28-year-old male Mexican national near the northern end of the drainage tube, which was used by the group of illegal aliens. Upon conducting interviews of the entire group of illegal aliens, agents found out that the injured alien sustained an ankle injury while dropping into the storm drain and was left behind by the suspected smuggler.

The suspected smuggler is currently in federal custody, awaiting criminal charges for reentering the country as a prior deportee.