San Diego, CA – A surge in border-related crimes has led to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in California filing 85 cases this week, including charges of assault on a federal officer, bringing in aliens for financial gain, reentering the U.S. after deportation, and importation of controlled substances.
The Southern District of California, which encompasses San Diego and Imperial counties, shares a 140-mile border with Mexico. The San Ysidro Port of Entry, the world’s busiest land border crossing, connects San Diego, the eighth-largest city in the United States, and Tijuana, Mexico’s second-largest city.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office has focused on prosecuting border-related crimes, including assault on a federal officer, bringing in aliens for financial gain, reentering the U.S. after deportation, and importation of controlled substances. In addition to these crimes, the office also prosecutes cases related to terrorism, organized crime, drugs, white-collar fraud, violent crime, cybercrime, human trafficking, and national security.
A sample of border-related arrests this week includes Luanna Astiazaran, a U.S. citizen, who was arrested and charged with bringing in aliens for financial gain. Customs and Border Protection officers found an undocumented immigrant from Guatemala hiding in the rear right quarter panel of her vehicle. The woman had to be extracted from the vehicle and received medical assistance.
Another case involves Emmanuel Ramirez Santiago, a U.S. citizen, who was arrested and charged with importation of a controlled substance. Customs and Border Protection officers discovered 162 packages containing 203 pounds of methamphetamine hidden in his Toyota Tacoma.
U.S. authorities have also been prioritizing investigations and prosecutions against drug, firearm, and human smugglers who endanger and threaten the safety of our communities and the law enforcement officers who protect them.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in California has referred or supported these cases with federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with the support and assistance of state and local law enforcement partners.
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Key Facts
- State: California
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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