BP: 2 juvenile victims of human trafficking rescued

Yuma Sector Border Patrol agents assigned to the Yuma Central Processing Center rescued two juveniles who were in the country illegally and who were believed to be victims of human trafficking.

According to information provided by agent Jose J. Garibay III of the Yuma Sector Public Affairs Office, on Sunday at approximately 9:30 a.m. a Yuma Station Border Patrol agent arrested eight individuals who surrendered after they illegally crossed into the U.S. near the San Luis port of entry.

All eight individuals were determined to be Guatemalan nationals and were transported to the Yuma Central Processing Center.

A Border Patrol agent later interviewed one of the subjects, a 16-year-old male, who claimed that both of his parents were still in Guatemala. The juvenile also gave the agent a written phone number for a person who he claimed was a relative living in the U.S.

The agent called the number and spoke to a female who claimed to be the relative. After questioning her, the agent was able to establish that the female was not in fact a relative and was impersonating one in hopes of having the juvenile released to her.

The juvenile eventually admitted that the woman was not a relative and that his parents had arranged for him to be smuggled from Guatemala to Michigan in order to perform unspecified work for an unidentified person.

Agents later spoke to a second Guatemalan juvenile from the original group of eight, a 17-year-old male. The second minor had an almost identical story as the 16-year-old that included the same alleged relative and phone number.

Both juveniles were processed as unaccompanied alien children.

Yuma County residents can help the Border Patrol and U.S. Customs and Border Protection by calling 1-866-999-8727 toll-free to report suspicious activity. Callers can remain anonymous.