San Diego, California - U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Otay Mesa border crossing Saturday apprehended a Los Angeles police officer and a woman allegedly attempting to smuggle a man into the United States in the rear cargo area of a car.

On Saturday, March 14 at about 6:30 p.m., a 34-year-old man drove a white 2014 Nissan Juke to the Otay Mesa, California border crossing, with a 31-year-old woman in the passenger seat.  Both U.S. citizens presented their passports to the CBP officer, who decided to refer them aside for a more intensive inspection.

During the inspection, CBP officers examined the car with the Z-Portal, a non-intrusive imaging device similar to an x-ray, and detected anomalies in the rear cargo area of the vehicle.

CBP officers searched the car and found a 26-year-old man hidden in the rear cargo area.  The man is a Mexican citizen with no legal ability to enter the United States.

CBP officers arrested the driver, who was confirmed to be a Los Angeles police officer, and the woman; both were booked into the Metropolitan Correctional Center and will face federal charges.  CBP officers also seized the car.