U.S. federal prosecutors announced the arrest of a man who attempted to illegally cross the border by hiding under a blanket in the back of a car at the San Ysidro Port of Entry.
Arturo Olazábal López was apprehended on December 2 after authorities discovered him concealed in a vehicle. He now faces federal charges for attempted illegal re-entry after deportation.
Court records show Olazábal López has been removed from the United States twice before: first in 1996 in El Paso, Texas, and again on November 1 of this year in San Ysidro.
Over 115 Border-Related Crimes in One Week
The arrest comes amid a busy week for federal prosecutors in Southern California, who filed at least 115 border-related cases involving drug trafficking, human smuggling, and illegal entry.
In one related bust, Border Patrol agents seized 118 kilograms of methamphetamine packed in 25 bundles from a pickup truck driven by U.S. citizen Oscar René Redondo as he entered through San Ysidro.
In a separate human smuggling case, Mexican nationals Joel Enrique Topete-Toparro and Aristeo Esteban Ceballos Lorea were arrested December 3 near the Otay Mesa port of entry. They are accused of bringing migrants into the U.S. for profit.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California remains one of the nation’s busiest federal court districts, largely due to persistent criminal activity along the border.
