A suspected alien smuggler sought in connection with the deaths of two Mexican immigrants who died in the trunk of a car at the San Diego-Tijuana border last year was arrested on Wednesday in Miami.
Eduard Cornejo-Saavedra, a 43-year-old Peruvian citizen, was taken into custody at the Miami International Airport in the August 2014 deaths of Tarcisio Casas-Blanco and Jose Aurelio Quiroz-Casas, both Mexican citizens.
Saavedra was initially arrested in Tijuana about six weeks ago at the request of the United States and was ultimately ordered deported to his native Peru.
Saavedra was en route to Peru from Mexico City today when he was intercepted by U.S. law enforcement. Authorities are seeking Saavedra’s transfer from Miami to face alien smuggling charges in San Diego.
The smuggling incident in question occurred on Aug. 12, 2014, when Nicholas George Zakov attempted to transport Casas-Blanco and Quiroz-Casas into the United States by hiding them in the trunk of his 2012 Dodge Challenger.
Zakov pleaded guilty to alien smuggling and was sentenced to seven years in federal prison.
Saavedra is charged with two counts of encouraging and inducing illegal aliens resulting in death and two counts of bringing illegal aliens into the United States for financial gain. He faces up to life in prison if convicted.
— City News Service
