A 16-year-old girl posing as a construction worker was arrested Thursday morning after Border Patrol agents discovered 13 illegal immigrants crammed into the pickup she was driving, authorities said.
The truck was disguised as a vehicle from Kiewit Corp., a large construction and mining company based in Omaha, Neb., that is building a secondary border fence west of the San Ysidro Port of Entry, the Border Patrol said.
Agents spotted the pickup about 6 a.m. near Smuggler's Gulch as they saw four people running toward Mexico. The driver sped away as officers approached, but later stopped near Monument Road and Hollister Street.
The girl, a U.S. citizen, and a male passenger were both wearing yellow hard hats and reflective safety vests, officials said.
Another man was trying to hide in the front cab, and three women and eight men were found crammed into a modified compartment in the bed of the truck. All are Mexican nationals.
Agents said that it was not the first time that smugglers have used Kiewit Corp. as a cover. A similar scheme was uncovered in August when 11 illegal immigrants were found inside another impostor pickup.
Wow. 16 is awfully young to be out smuggling illegal immigrants. Sounds like something you should do if you want to throw your future away. I don't care how old you are, smuggling immigrants should come with steep consequences.
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Comments: 17
The construction company whose name is on the truck says that the truck wasn't theirs.