Illegals Found In Fake Postal Vehicle

Sierra Vista Herald ^ | September 10,2002 | Bill Hess

[AZHSer]

Illegals found in fake postal vehicle

A U.S. Customs Service agent found illegal immigrants riding Monday in this fake U.S. Postal Service vehicle. (Bill Hess-Herald/Review) By BILL HESS

Herald/Review

HEREFORD -- An attempt to smuggle illegal immigrants into the United States in what appeared to be a U.S. Postal Service vehicle was foiled Monday by a U.S. Customs Service agent.

About 1:30 p.m. near Andalusian Way and Highway 92, the Customs Service agent spotted the vehicle that had all the markings of a postal service truck.

However, thinking something was suspicious, the agent followed the truck. When the vehicle stopped and the agent approached, a large group of people ran from the vehicle, said Naco Station U.S. Border Patrol Supervisor Gabriel Martinez.

The Border Patrol arrived on the scene and agents were able to capture 17 men and women, all of whom voluntarily returned to Mexico, he said. The driver of the truck and a few others were not apprehended, Martinez added.

The vehicle looked like an in-service postal truck, with a United States Postal Service decal on a door and the Postal Service's blue and white eagle logo on the side. Red and blue stripes, typical of postal vehicles, were on the vehicle.

This isn't the first time smugglers have tried to disguise their transportation as a commercial or government vehicle. Within the last year, police have stopped a fake FedEx truck, and recently a Border Patrol agent spotted a fake construction vehicle.

Martinez said the agency was called recently about what appeared to be a postal truck loading up illegal immigrants in a desolate area along the border. He suspects the one involved Monday was the same truck.

The truck is a 1987 Chevrolet van with a Postal Service number of 6502399 on it. It had 112,000 miles recorded on its speedometer. It was impounded and taken to Auto Aid Towing's yard.

Temporary Arizona tags with an expiration date of Oct. 2, 2002, were on the truck, instead of U.S. government plates.

Some postal forms in the truck indicate it was part of the Flagstaff post office operation.

Postal officials said they are looking into the incident. While none could say if the truck in question was ever part of the postal service's fleet, one did say when a postal vehicle is sold as surplus, "it is depostalized," meaning the stripes, eagle logo and words indicating a vehicle was part of the United States Postal Service have to be removed by postal employees before being sold.

HERALD/REVIEW senior reporter Bill Hess can be reached at 458-9440 Ext. 115 or by e-mail at bill.hess@svherald.com.

[AZHSer]

First post, be gentle :-)

[ikka]

Running from the police - in most cities allows them to shoot you. Shoot on sight in such circumstances would go a very long way towards discouraging more illegals.

[A CA Guy]

Were in war and this cr@p can still happen at the border!

If we are serious, block anyone who doesn't have permission from entering the USA.

[blondee123]

If we are serious, block anyone who doesn't have permission from entering the USA.

Problem is, most of the terrorists have legal documents & our own government has approved their coming into the U.S.!!

[A CA Guy]

True in the past, and once they are here they dissappear into the country I am sure.
I'm at USC a couple of times a week at this time and the Muslim population here seems to be 15% of last year, so either they all felt uncomfortable or were refused permission to stay.

[Texas_Jarhead]

the treacherous and boldness of such an act is unbelievable

[Consort]

Frank them and Return To Sender.

[Texas_Jarhead]

treacherous should be treacherousness

[hispanarepublicana]

Welcome aboard. I promise I'm not spamming the board, but this is scary enough that folks living in border states--especially fleet owners--should be made aware.This is too scary. You'll realize why after you read my post: U.S. Border HEADS UP: Reposting Smuggling Tactic Warning Due to Possible Use in Terrorism

[kristinn]

Thank you for posting this and bringing it to our attention. Local stories like this are important for folks around the country to know about.

[gubamyster]

We deliver for you.

[AdA$tra]

I parked next to van of illegals at the liquor store on the way home from work tonight. [Don't even ask me how I know they were illegals] The van reeked of urine even from ten feet away. I think they only got out to buy the beer.

[AZHSer]

Thanks for the welcome. This is a big problem here. If you go down to Naco in the evening, you can see scores of these people in the city park, getting ready to cross as soon as it gets dark.Another favorite vehicle is old rental trucks from UHaul or Ryder. It's bad enough that most of my neighborhood won't even take a walk without carrying a weapon.

[AZHSer]

I'm hoping to educate people a little bit about how bad it is. Unfortunately a lot of folks think we are exaggerating or don't want to hear it...

[brat]

Good job, AZHSer, and a belated welcome aboard.

[AZHSer]

Thanks!

[Black Agnes]

Nah, just wait till the race baiters show up. *laugh*. You'll be called a bigot and racist and mean nasty person in general for daring mention that these people might not have a legitimate place in the US.

[Black Agnes]

Illegals are going Postal alert!

[FITZ]

Were in war and this cr@p can still happen at the border!

They've almost never shut down the border, not even on Sept 11 last year, it's about as wide open as it ever was, Mexicans cross quickly and easily to bring their kids to school every day here free (at our taxpayer expense that is but free to them). Anyone can very easily cross the border even near the cities.

[Revolting cat!]

How do you suppose the Feds discovered the illegals weren't really USPS workers, huh?
ANSWER: They were unarmed!