U.S. Border Patrol agents arrested a 33-year-old Cuban man on April 20 for allegedly smuggling two undocumented women near Three Points, Arizona, along the Ajo Highway.
According to the U.S. Border Patrol’s Tucson Sector, agents on patrol observed a Hyundai Accent departing an area known for human smuggling activity. During a traffic stop for an immigration inspection, agents discovered that the vehicle’s passengers—a 29-year-old woman from Mexico and a 30-year-old woman from Uzbekistan—were in the United States illegally.
Further investigation revealed that the driver himself was also in the country without legal documentation. All three individuals were taken into custody, and the vehicle was seized.
A records check showed that the Cuban national had previously been apprehended by Border Patrol near Brownsville, Texas in 2023. At that time, he claimed fear of persecution in Cuba and was released pending an immigration hearing.
Agents also discovered that the Mexican woman had been previously removed from the U.S. on multiple occasions and was prosecuted for immigration violations as recently as October 2024.
Both women are now being processed for removal proceedings, while the Cuban driver is facing federal human smuggling charges. If convicted, he could face prison time, deportation, and a lifetime ban from reentering the United States.
The Tucson Sector continues to report an uptick in smuggling activity in southern Arizona, and officials have urged the public to report suspicious behavior and illegal border crossings.
