92 Aliens Found in Trailer Rig

Two Los Angeles police officers flung open the back doors of a trailer rig parked near a produce loading dock early Monday and found 92 illegal aliens crammed inside.

The Newton area officers had become suspicious when they saw what they thought was a burglar get out of a van and into the truck about 12:30 a.m. at a warehouse near Olympic Boulevard and Alameda Street, police said.

Even though the evening was cool, it was estimated to be nearly 100 degrees inside the truck, the officers said.

Agents from the Immigration and Naturalization Service took 89 of the illegal aliens back to Mexico. The other three asked for deportation hearings.

The INS is searching for the smugglers, who are thought to be running a large-scale operation.

Agents said that the aliens had apparently crossed the Mexican border in small groups and had been picked up in San Diego and shuttled to Los Angeles in the trailer. The aliens, like most that cross the border with help of “coyote” smugglers, were probably charged anywhere from $200 to $500 for the service, agents said.

The smugglers were evidently going to transport the aliens a few at a time in the van to unknown locations.

The trailer-tractor registration is being checked. However, an INS spokesman noted that smugglers often steal vehicles to use for their operations.