Two teenagers caught smuggling 23 immigrants in semi truck

Two juveniles were arrested on Wednesday night after 23 illegal immigrants were found in the semi truck they were driving.

According U.S. Customs and Border Protection, agents conducted an immigration-related traffic stop on the semi-trailer near mile marker 371 on State Route 80 near Douglas, AZ.

Agents arrested 22 Mexican nationals and one Guatemalan national, ranging in age from 16 to 69.

One Mexican national was processed for a history of extensive immigration violations. The rest of the immigrants were expelled from the country via Title 42 authority.

Both the driver and passenger were arrested and identified as United States citizens.

Criminal organizations are known to target vulnerable populations. Teenagers in border communities are susceptible to facilitating human and narcotics smuggling through these criminal organizations.

Chief Patrol Agent of the U.S. Border Patrol Tucson Sector, Roy D. Villareal, warned the country in a statement “If you think our youth aren’t being recruited into smuggling operations, think again.”