U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Air and Marine Operations help apprehend human smuggler

El PASO, Texas — U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Air and Marine Operations partnered with U.S. Border Patrol to apprehend a fleeing human smuggler on June 2.

AMO agents from the El Paso Air Branch conducted overwatch from an AS350 A-Star helicopter when a human smuggler failed to yield and attempted to flee Border Patrol agents from Ysleta Border Patrol Station’s Anti-Smuggling Unit and Tigua Tribal Police. 

At 8 a.m. Border Patrol agents apprehended two illegal aliens that were waiting to be picked up by a smuggling driver near Socorro Road in Socorro, Texas. The Border Patrol Anti-Smuggling Unit from the Ysleta Station and the Tigua Police monitored the area after the apprehension and observed a red Nissan Altima come to a stop in the same area. The Tigua Police attempted to perform a vehicle stop on the Nissan Altima. However, the Nissan failed to yield and fled at a high rate of speed.

The AMO helicopter crew maintained visual of the vehicle and relayed direction of travel and situational awareness to ground agents. Due to erratic driving, the aircrew suggested the ground agents pull back from the Nissan Altima, advising they had clear visual of the vehicle.

The aircrew maintained visual surveillance of the vehicle for nearly 30 minutes before it came to a stop on Carmelita Circle, where the driver absconded on foot. The aircrew guided Border Patrol agents to the location where the suspected driver was hiding.

During questioning, the driver admitted he was in the area to pick up and transport illegal aliens. Record checks later revealed a charge from January 2025 for shooting at or from a vehicle -conspiracy resulting in death. The driver, a U.S. citizen was charged with 8 USC 1324 conspiracy to transport illegal aliens.

AMO safeguards our nation by anticipating and confronting security threats through our aviation and maritime law enforcement expertise, innovative capabilities, and partnerships at the border and beyond. AMO conducts its mission in the air and maritime environments throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, and U.S. Virgin Islands.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is America's frontline: the nation's largest law enforcement organization and the world's first unified border management agency. The 65,000+ men and women of CBP protect America on the ground, in the air, and on the seas. We facilitate safe, lawful travel and trade and ensure our country's economic prosperity. We enhance the nation's security through innovation, intelligence, collaboration, and trust.