In a strange new twist in the fight to stop illegal immigration between the U.S. and Mexico, federal authorities are reporting that black drivers have been used as decoys to help smugglers avoid detection.

U.S. federal authorities indicted five people in connection with a suspected smuggling ring that used non-Spanish speaking, African-American drivers to ferry undocumented immigrants over the border in an effort to avoid detection.

The ring coordinated with international smugglers to pick-up undocumented immigrants once they crossed the border and transport them to Los Angeles, officials said.