TUCSON, Ariz. — A man wearing a bogus U.S. Border Patrol uniform and driving a cloned vehicle is accused of trying to smuggle migrants past a checkpoint in Arizona, authorities said.
John R. Modlin, interim Chief Patrol Agent of the Border Patrol’s Tucson Sector, said in a tweet that the fake car looked similar to one used by the Border Patrol.
Modlin said that the driver was wearing a fake uniform and had 10 migrant passengers, KPNX reported. He added that Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Border Patrol agents were able to stop the car near Tucson, the television station reported.
This is not a Border Patrol vehicle. @HSIPhoenix and #BorderPatrol agents from #Tucson Station foiled a smuggling attempt using a cloned vehicle and a fake uniform. The driver and 10 migrants were taken into custody. pic.twitter.com/tpl4cLkUhE
— John R. Modlin (@USBPChiefTCA) August 24, 2021
The driver and the passengers were taken into custody, Modlin tweeted.
The name, age and nationality of the driver was not revealed, according to The Associated Press.
Border Patrol security agents are responsible for patrolling 6,000 miles of Mexican and Canadian land borders and 2,000 miles of coastal waters, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
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