Washington: US Border Patrol agents have arrested 49 illegal immigrants, including 30 Indian nationals, during a crackdown on commercial trucking operations in California.
US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) said the arrests were made during raids conducted between November 23 and December 12 in the El Centro sector. The individuals were caught driving semi-trucks on interstate highways using commercial driving licenses (CDLs).
According to CBP, the largest group arrested were Indian nationals, while others were from China, Russia, Mexico and several other countries. Most of the CDLs used by the arrested drivers had been issued in California.
In a related action, several Indian nationals were also arrested during an operation carried out on December 10 and 11 under “Operation Highway Sentinel.” The drive specifically targeted commercial trucking companies following multiple fatal accidents involving trucks driven by illegal drivers.
CBP said the operation was aimed at improving road safety and identifying unauthorised commercial drivers operating on US highways.
