San Diego

U.S. Border Patrol agents have broken up a San Diego-based alien-smuggling ring that moved about 400 illegal immigrants into the United States and north to the Los Angeles area each month, authorities said.

Eight suspects--all Mexican citizens--were arrested in connection with the operation, said Ted Swofford, a Border Patrol supervisory agent in San Diego. All were to be charged with the federal crime of conspiracy to smuggle illegal aliens, a felony.

The ring, Swofford said, was averaged-sized for San Diego, which serves as a major conduit for the northward flow of undocumented aliens from neighboring Mexico.

The arrests were made Sunday when Border Patrol agents raided a residence in the 2500 block of Reo Drive in San Diego, where 47 illegal aliens from Mexico were also apprehended, Swofford said.

The smuggling organization used a familiar approach, authorities said. Guides would escort immigrants on foot from Tijuana to San Diego’s San Ysidro community, where they were driven to the San Diego residence, authorities said. Drivers, often using stolen vans and cars, would later transport clients north to the Los Angeles area, officials said.