U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the San Ysidro Port of Entry arrested a driver attempting to smuggle a Mexican national who was concealed in a non-factory compartment built into the vehicle’s gas tank.

The incident occurred at 7:30 p.m. when CBP officers encountered a 20-year-old man driving a 2005 GMC SUV. During an initial inspection, a CBP canine team alerted to the vehicle’s undercarriage.

Officers drove the vehicle to a secondary inspection area and found a person hidden inside a non-factory compartment in the gas tank. Emergency personnel transported the individual to Scripps Mercy Hospital in Chula Vista, California, for treatment of burn injuries sustained during the smuggling attempt.

“This case underscores the dangerous and inhumane tactics employed by smugglers who prioritize profit over human lives,” said San Ysidro Port Director Mariza Marin. “Thanks to the vigilance and professionalism of U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers, this individual was located and removed from a life-threatening situation, subsequently receiving the medical attention they needed. CBP remains committed to disrupting smuggling operations that endanger the public.”

The driver was arrested and booked into the Metropolitan Correctional Center in San Diego.

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U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is America’s frontline: the nation’s largest law enforcement organization and the world’s first unified border management agency. The 67,000+ men and women of CBP protect America on the ground, in the air, and on the seas. We enforce safe, lawful travel and trade and ensure our country’s economic prosperity. We enhance the nation’s security through innovation, intelligence, collaboration, and trust.