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High school senior from Chula Vista charged with recruiting other juveniles to smuggle drugs

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CHULA VISTA, Calif. (KGTV) -- A high school Senior from Chula Vista was charged in Federal Court Monday for reportedly trying to recruit other students to smuggle drugs into the U.S.

Court documents show that Phillip Junior Webb, who was a senior at Castle Park High School in 2017, recruited other high school students to smuggle methamphetamine and fentanyl into the U.S.

According to the documents, starting in July of 2017, juveniles were caught trying to smuggle drugs by strapping the drugs to their bodies as they tried to enter the United States.

RELATED: Teens targeted to smuggle Fentanyl across US-Mexico

On May 4, Web was reportedly caught trying to bring a Chinese national and Mexican national into the U.S. in the trunk of his vehicle.

“We are seeing a very troubling trend and we want to warn parents and high schoolers,” said U.S. Attorney Adam L. Braverman. “Our youth are being recruited by drug cartels to smuggle dangerous drugs across the border. We are going after the recruiters who exploit these kids, but the kids also need to know that they are gambling with their lives when they do this. Don’t throw away your future.”

RELATED: Federal agencies team up to spread awareness about teen drug smuggling  

Webb’s next court appearance is scheduled for May 10.