Nogales Border Patrol agents arrested two U.S. teens for smuggling when seven illegal immigrants were found inside a stolen truck Tuesday night, officials said.

Before the arrests, the 17-year-old boys fled from agents in a Ford F-250 near the Interstate 19 immigration checkpoint, an agency news release said.

The truck stopped near Amado after a short chase. Agents then discovered two illegal immigrants in the rear seat and five more in the truck bed under a tonneau cover.

Both teens face smuggling charges while the illegal immigrants were processed for immigration violations.

The truck, which was reported stolen from Marana, was turned over to the Pima County Sheriff's Department.


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Contact Star reporter Shaq Davis at 573-4218 or sdavis@tucson.com

On Twitter: @ShaqDavis1