Border Patrol agents assigned to the Ajo Station apprehended more than 240 Central American migrants who illegally crossed in a 48-hour period this week. The three groups are described as mostly family units.

Tucson Sector agents assigned to the Ajo Border Patrol Station came upon three large groups of Central American migrants during a 48-hour period that began on Sunday evening. Agents patrolling near the Lukeville Port of Entry came upon the first group of 80 men, women, and children. Officials say most of the group were Guatemalan nationals.

During the overnight hours, Ajo Station agents intercepted two additional large groups. In the first incident, the agents apprehended 113–mostly Central American. Later in the shift, agents apprehended another group of 49 generally from the same region.

The agents reported that all migrants appeared to be in good health. The groups were transported to the Ajo Station for processing and biometric background checks to reveal any criminal or immigration histories and gang affiliations.

“Illicit transnational criminal organizations exploit the vulnerability of foreign nationals with false promises of legal status and encourage dangerous border crossings, placing lives at risk,” Tucson Sector officials stated.

More than 100 migrants have been found dead at or near the Arizona border with Mexico this year, according to the Missing Migrants Project. Nationally, at least 373 bodies or remains were found along the U.S.-Mexico Border — an increase of more than 11 percent over the same period in 2017.

During the month of November, Tucson Sector Border Patrol agents apprehended 5,062 who illegally crossed the border between ports of entry–an average of nearly 170 per day, according to the November Southwest Border Migration Report. Since the beginning of the current fiscal year (October 1, 2018), Tucson Sector agents reported a 257 percent increase in the number of migrant families apprehended within their jurisdiction.

Bob Price serves as associate editor and senior political news contributor for Breitbart Border/Cartel Chronicles. He is a founding member of the Breitbart Texas team. Follow him on Twitter @BobPriceBBTX and Facebook.