Officials: Man caught smuggling 11 people inside furniture, washing machine at US-Mexico border

An American man was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of trying to smuggle 11 Chinese citizens from Mexico across the border into California, officials said.

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According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, a 42-year-old man driving a moving truck was stopped at San Diego's San Ysidro border Friday, KNSD reported.

The truck was sent to an area for further inspection, and officers discovered the Chinese nationals hidden in a washing machine, a chest and a dresser, CBP said in a news release.

The driver was taken to the Metropolitan Correctional Center, and the 11 Chinese nationals are pending criminal and immigration proceedings, according to the news release.

“CBP cannot stress enough the dangers of smuggling people,” said Pete Flores, the CBP director of field operations for San Diego. “These are human beings that smugglers subject to inhumane conditions that could have deadly consequences. Fortunately, no one was seriously injured.”

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