Smuggling attempt stopped at port of entry

A 26-year-old Mexicali man was arrested Tuesday at the East port of entry for allegedly attempting to smuggle an undocumented immigrant inside the floorboard of a vehicle.

Ivan Acosta-Romero was taken into custody about midnight Tuesday at the port of entry by Customs and Border Protection officers and booked into county jail without bail on suspicion of bringing undocumented immigrants into the United States, county Sheriff’s Office arrest records stated.

According to a federal court complaint, Acosta and his vehicle, a grey Ford Explorer, were referred to secondary inspection at the port of entry due to a computer-generated referral.

During secondary inspection, a CBP officer inspected the vehicle’s floor and noticed the carpet had been removed.

According to a CBP news release, officers ran the vehicle through the port’s imaging system and detected anomalies under the front passenger seat.

Officers removed the seat and discovered a man hidden inside a metal non-factory compartment, which trapped his ability to exit freely.

CBP officers determined that the man is a citizen of India with no legal documents to enter the United States.

Officers paroled the man into the United States to serve as a material witness during the criminal proceedings.

In the court complaint, Acosta stated he was threatened by unknown individuals to cross the vehicle across the port of entry or his family would be harmed.

The undocumented immigrant stated he was citizen of India and he had traveled from India to Mexicali with the intent to cross illegally into the United States.