CALEXICO, Calif. (AP) – U.S. authorities say a Brazilian man tried to sneak into the country from Mexico by hiding in the gasoline tank of an SUV.
Customs and Border Protection says inspectors found the 38-year-old inside the modified tank of a 2001 Toyota Sequoia early Tuesday at a crossing in Calexico, California. An imaging device spotted anomalies in the SUV’s gas tank and back seats.
The agency says the man acknowledged he wasn’t allowed to enter the United States. Deportation proceedings will begin following criminal proceedings against the driver.
The driver is a 40-year-old U.S. citizen from Calexico. Customs and Border Protection says he will face federal charges.
The agency didn’t release names of the driver or the man in the tank. It seized the vehicle.