Jonathan Pantoja, 40 a U.S citizen allegedly sneaked the 38-year-old Brazilian man inside the modified tank of a 2001 Toyota Sequoia early Tuesday at a crossing in Calexico, California.
Customs and Border Protection says an imaging device spotted anomalies in the SUV's gas tank and back seats.
A criminal complaint says the 40-year-old driver told authorities that he smuggled to pay off a $5,000 debt (2 million Naira).
The complaint says the Brazilian man told authorities he paid $5,800 to get to the border from Brazil and was to pay another $4,000 in Los Angeles.
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