By Matthew Holloway |

Two New Mexico teenagers were arrested near Palominas, Arizona, on charges that they transported three illegal immigrants on March 1st. The illegal immigrants were identified as Mexican nationals by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

CBP’s Tucson Sector announced that as agents patrolled a well-known smuggling route, they observed a person wearing camouflage and began to investigate. While investigating, the agents spotted a black Dodge Ram pickup truck and initiated a traffic stop to perform an immigration inspection on the vehicle.

According to the agents, they discovered the teenagers, a male and female both aged 17, in the front of the vehicle with three older men attempting to conceal their presence in the back seat of the truck. The three men were confirmed to be Mexican nationals who had entered the U.S. illegally, while both the driver and front-passenger were confirmed to be U.S. citizens.

The driver and his female passenger were placed under arrest and transported to the Brian A. Terry Border Patrol Station, and the agents seized the pickup truck. The driver is facing prosecution for human trafficking, a felony under 8 U.S.C 1324 and could face anywhere between one and ten years in prison. The female passenger is not facing charges at this time.

According to the press release from CBP, the three illegal immigrants have all been previously removed from the U.S. and are now facing the reinstatement of their prior removal orders and will serve as material witnesses in the prosecution of the driver.

In a post to X, Chief Patrol Agent (CPA) of the U.S. Border Patrol’s Tucson Sector John R. Modlin wrote, “A U.S. Citizen juvenile was arrested near Palominas, AZ for smuggling 3 illegal aliens. The 17-year-old smuggler faces felony charges of 8 USC 1324 Transporting an Alien Who is Unlawfully Present in the US.”

Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.