5 suspected 'illegals' nabbed in Ephrata (Lancaster Online)

5 suspected 'illegals' nabbed in Ephrata

Published: Feb 11, 2009 10:53 EST
Ephrata

By RYAN ROBINSON, Staff Writer
Ephrata police on Tuesday turned over five suspected illegal immigrants from Mexico to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

They included Teodulfo Santiz, 21, charged with driving without a license, and four passengers — men ages 33, 25, 25 and 19 — and who like Santiz, claimed Mexican citizenship, Ephrata Police Lt. Chris McKim said today.

An Ephrata police officer spotted a car traveling eastbound on Route 322 driving erratically and making an illegal U-turn at Hahnstown Road in Ephrata Township at around 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, McKim said.

The officer pulled over the car and the driver could not produce proper identification, he said.

Ephrata police called the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Citizenship and Immigration Services, which determined the vehicle's occupants were likely illegal immigrants, McKim said.

Ephrata police took all five people into custody, and a few hours later, ICE officers transferred them to the Department of Homeland Security, he said.

McKim said they likely will face deportation.

The incident occurred the same day the Associated Press reported that Mexican cartels are believed to have set up drug-dealing operations all over the U.S. Authorities are reporting a spike in killings, kidnappings and home invasions connected to Mexico's murderous cartels, the report stated.

But McKim said he would guess the five men in Ephrata have nothing to do with that news.

"I tend to doubt any drug connections," he said. "Maybe migrant workers."

McKim said police could not verify ownership of the car, which was registered in Kentucky.

He said Ephrata police have reported 11 illegal aliens to the Department of Homeland Security in the last six months. Four of those had been living in Ephrata.