COCHISE COUNTY, Ariz. — Two Phoenix teenagers were taken into custody Thursday afternoon after they attempted to flee from law enforcement in a car that allegedly was transporting a group of undocumented migrants.
At about 1 p.m. on Oct. 12, officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a SUV traveling near the border town of Douglas, according to the Cochise County Sheriff's Office.
The car fled north along U.S. Highway 191 and traveled at speeds exceeding 120 mph before tire-deflation devices immobilized the vehicle, CCSO said.
When the vehicle came to a stop, several occupants fled. Law enforcement officials later apprehended the driver and a passenger who were identified as two Phoenix teenagers, ages 14 and 15.
Other car occupants were identified as individuals who are not authorized to be in the U.S. and were taken into the custody of the Border Patrol.
CCSO said the juveniles will be booked into a detention facility and are facing multiple criminal charges.
Thursday's incident appears to be another example of young Arizona residents getting recruited to transport migrants near the U.S.-Mexico border. Law enforcement agencies have been warning the public for months that children were getting paid to participate in human smuggling by individuals they met online or through video games.
“We see it all the time,” Cochise County Sheriff Mark Dannels told 12News earlier this year. “It’s sad to say.”
Snapchat, WhatsApp, Facebook marketplace, TikTok, and video games like Grand Theft Auto are some of the platforms where local teens often get recruited.
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