Two Marines were arrested after allegedly smuggling a trio of illegal immigrants near the US-Mexico border, it has emerged.

Lance Cpl. Byron Darnell Law II and Lance Cpl. David Javier Salazar-Quintero were busted on Wednesday by US Border Patrol agents while driving the immigrants on Interstate 8 in Jacumba Hot Springs in southeastern San Diego County, California.

The group were just seven miles north of the border, according to court documents filed last Friday in the US District Court for the Southern District of California.

Law and Salazar-Quintero, who are stationed at Camp Pendleton in California, admitted to having done the same the night before, picking up another illegal immigrant near the same place about 10.30pm Tuesday

The three passengers told authorities that they were Mexican citizens in the country illegally and had been picked up from the side of the road by a car driven by Law.

Two of the migrants admitted they planned to pay more than $8,000 to get into the States and expected to settle in New Jersey and Los Angeles, court documents state.

Law and Salazar-Quintero, who are stationed at Camp Pendleton in California, admitted to having done the same the night before, picking up another illegal immigrant near the same place about 10.30pm Tuesday.

There they drove the man to the parking lot of a McDonald's restaurant in Del Mar, where the passenger was picked up by someone else.

After their arrest, the Marines turned on each other and blamed each other for initiating the smuggling.

Law and Salazar-Quintero, who are stationed at Camp Pendleton in California, admitted to having done the same the night before, picking up another illegal immigrant near the same place about 10.30pm Tuesday (file image of border patrol agents near the US-Mexico border)

There they drove the man to the parking lot of a McDonald's restaurant in Del Mar where the passenger was picked up by someone else

Law claimed both smuggling trips were organized by Salazar-Quintero, who arranged the pick-ups over the phone with a contact south of the border, and allegedly promised Law $1,000 for the first job.

Despite not getting paid, Law said he agreed to pick up more illegal immigrants on Wednesday with the promise from Salazar-Quintero of being paid for both jobs, court documents say.

Salazar-Quintero, in turn, claimed it was Law who introduced him to the smuggling ring.

'We are aware of the charges facing Lance Cpl. Law and Lance Cpl. Salazar-Quintero, and we continue to cooperate fully with the investigative efforts into this matter,' Marine spokesman 1st Lt. Cameron Edinburgh told Marine Corps Times

On four different occasions, Salazar-Quintero admitted he's been to Jacumba Hot Spring for pick-ups, including last Tuesday and Wednesday.

The first time he returned without picking up anyone, he claimed, while the second time he was promised, but not given $500 for smuggling a man.

'We are aware of the charges facing Lance Cpl. Law and Lance Cpl. Salazar-Quintero, and we continue to cooperate fully with the investigative efforts into this matter,' Marine spokesman 1st Lt. Cameron Edinburgh told Marine Corps Times.