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Wednesday, Oct 31, 2012 9:03 PM UTC

Attempt to drive over fence leaves smugglers stuck

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Topics: From the Wires,

Attempt to drive over fence leaves smugglers stuckIn this photo provided by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, a silver Jeep Cherokee that suspected smugglers were attempting to drive over the U.S.-Mexico border fence is stuck at the top of a makeshift ramp early Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2012 near Yuma, Ariz. U.S. Border Patrol agents from the Yuma Station seized both the ramps and the vehicle, which stalled at the top of the ramp after it became high centered. The fence is approximately 14 feet high where the would-be smugglers attempted to illegally drive across the border. The two suspects fled into Mexico when the agents arrived at the scene. (AP Photo/U.S. Customs and Border Protection)(Credit: AP)

YUMA, Ariz. (AP) — Suspected smugglers tried to use ramps to drive an SUV over a 14-foot-tall fence along the U.S.-Mexico border, but they had to abandon the effort when the Jeep got stuck on top of the barrier.

U.S. Border Patrol spokesman Spencer Tippets says patrolling agents spotted the Jeep Cherokee perched atop the fence early Tuesday. It was about five miles west of the Colorado River, which divides Arizona and California.

Two people on the Mexican side were trying to free the Jeep when the agents approached. They ran further into Mexico.

The Jeep was empty, but agents say it was probably filled with contraband like marijuana before it got stuck.

The smugglers had built ramps that looked like long ladders to drive up and over the fence, but the SUV became high-centered at the top.

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