A Los Angeles man who was arrested this week is being investigated on suspicion of impersonating a federal immigration agent after he was found with Border Patrol radio codes and an unlicensed gun, Huntington Park authorities announced Friday.

On Tuesday, Huntington Park police officers located a suspicious black Dodge Durango illegally parked in a handicap zone in the 7000 block of South Alameda Street, city officials said.

The vehicle had mounted red and blue LED lights, police-like radios, and a semiautomatic firearm magazine, officers observed. The driver, 24-year-old Fernando Diaz, returned to his vehicle, approached officers, and tried to play off their findings by saying he was a former Customs and Border Protection agent, Huntington Park Police Chief Cosme Lozano said.

Upon further inspection, officers said, they discovered the following items in Diaz’s vehicle, which were displayed at a Friday news conference: an official-looking documents with the labels “Homeland Security Investigations” and “Customs and Border Protection”; a sheet with Border Patrol radio codes, at least two copies of passports that don’t belong to Diaz and cellphones.

Officers said he failed to provide any valid credentials.

The officers discovered that Diaz has an outstanding DUI warrant. Diaz also had a prior arrest record related to human smuggling, according to Lozano, who did not elaborate on that.

Diaz was arrested in connection with the outstanding DUI warrant and on suspicion of carrying a concealed weapon without a permit, according to a city spokesperson. An investigation into Diaz’s alleged impersonation of a federal officer remains ongoing.

He was released on $5,000 bail earlier in the week.

“This arrest raises concerns about public safety, organized criminal activity, and the urgent need for all enforcement personnel operating in our community to properly identify themselves,” Lozano said. “What began as a routine citation has quickly turned into a far more disturbing investigation.”

The arrest came amid immigration enforcement sweeps across Southern California, typically by armed federal agents wearing face-covering masks and civilian clothing, and reportedly producing no badges or identification. They generally wear vests that say “ICE,” “Border Patrol” or “Homeland Security.”

Federal officials say the agents wear masks to protect themselves and their families from attacks by protesters. But critics have said hiding their identities makes it easy for imposters.

Lozano said 911 calls for possible kidnappings are up about 10% since the beginning of widespread immigration raids in Los Angeles three weeks ago.

He said officers are dispatched if the situation warrants to verify the identity of supposed federal agents. “The protocol is to send an officer and a supervisor to the location for them to attempt or accomplish contact with the federal agents and validate their official status,” Lozano said. That may include asking the alleged federal agent to present a form of badge or ID card.

Lozano added that so far his department has not faced a lack of cooperation from federal agents who are asked to verify their names and the agency they work for.

On Wednesday, the Huntington Park City Council approved a motion directing local law enforcement officers to verify the identity of anyone in the city claiming to be a federal immigration agent.