PORT CLINTON, Ohio — A Mexican national was arrested in Ohio over the weekend for smuggling 11 people into the United States. Border Patrol agents from the Detroit Sector responded to a possible smuggling event after the Ohio State Highway Patrol pulled over a Toyota Sienna for a cracked windshield. The trooper discovered 11 people in the vehicle who admitted to lacking legal documents to be or remain in the country.
Upon searching the vehicle, agents, and troopers found a large amount of cash hidden in the driver’s clothing and wallet. Further investigation revealed that the driver had been removed from the United States more than 40 times since 2006. Passengers stated that they or their family members had paid to be driven from Albuquerque, New Mexico, to various states along the east coast.
The Mexican national has been presented to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio for prosecution on an alien smuggling charge. The remaining individuals are being held pending their removal proceedings.
Chief Patrol Agent Robert Danley praised the collaboration between the Ohio State Highway Patrol and the Border Patrol, highlighting their efforts to disrupt local and transnational criminal organizations.
