Yuma Sector Border Patrol agents arrested an armed human smuggler with a group of Mexican migrants not far from another group of caravan migrants. It appears the smuggler attempted to use the Central American migrants as a diversion in order to bring across the Mexican nationals.

Yuma Sector Communications Center camera operators observed a group of nine people who had illegally crossed the border near San Luis, Arizona, on Tuesday. The operators notified Special Operations Detachment (SOD) agents assigned to the Yuma Sector who responded to the scene and arrested three human smugglers while other agents were tied up with a large group of Central American migrants, according to information obtained from Yuma Sector Border Patrol officials. While searching the subjects, the SOD agents found one of the smugglers with two loaded 9mm magazines in his pocket. A search of the area uncovered a loaded 9mm pistol that had been discarded.

The three suspected human smugglers were found with six Mexican nationals illegally present in the U.S. The smugglers were also Mexican nationals.

This occurred while Border Patrol agents were tied up nearby with a group of 25 Guatemalan family members and unaccompanied minors who had illegally crossed the border near San Luis. In total, the agents apprehended more than 450 migrants — mostly Central American families and unaccompanied minors, officials stated.

“Yuma Sector agents continue to be inundated with large numbers of families and juveniles who illegally cross the border and significantly tax our resources,” Yuma Sector Chief Patrol Agent Anthony J. Porvaznik, said in a written statement. “This armed smuggling attempt took place while many of our agents were distracted from their border security duties and instead dealing with groups of surrendering families.”