San Ysidro, Calif. A 54-year-old male driver was arrested by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers late Tuesday morning after they discovered 20 undocumented migrants concealed in various areas of a California-plated recreational vehicle that entered the United States through the San Ysidro border station.

After presenting his declaration and a California drivers license, the driver, a U.S. citizen who resides in Tijuana, B.C., and his conveyance were referred to the secondary inspection lot for examination.

A canine used to screen the vehicle alerted inside the motor home and officers focused their inspection in the interior of the white 1978 Dodge sportsman vehicle.

Officers discovered individuals concealed within a sleeper couch, cabinets, closet and restroom in the recreational vehicles passenger area. The smuggled individuals, 16 males and four females, all were adults except for one 12-year old girl. All but one, a Guatemalan male, were determined to be citizens of Mexico. None had a legal entitlement to enter the U.S.

The driver was arrested by CBP officers and transported to the Metropolitan Correctional Center in San Diego to await formal charges. Three of the undocumented individuals were detained as material witnesses. The others were processed for return to their countries of origin.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.

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