Border Patrol Agents Find 38 Migrants Smuggled in Trucks

Border Patrol agents in South Texas discovered 30 illegal immigrants being smuggled in the back of a tractor-trailer at the Falfurrias Checkpoint. The find led to the arrest of men, women, and children who were placed into dangerous conditions in an attempt to sneak through the checkpoint located 80 miles from the Mexican border. Agents found eight more being smuggled in two pickup trucks that were allegedly driven by members of the same family.

Agents assigned to the Falfurrias Border Patrol Checkpoint in the Rio Grande Valley Sector discovered a load of illegal immigrants after a K-9 alerted to suspicious cargo in the trailer. Following the early Saturday morning alert, the agents directed the driver of the 18-wheeler to move his rig to the secondary inspection station, Border Patrol officials said in a statement provided to Breitbart Texas on Tuesday morning.

An inspection of the trailer revealed 30 illegal immigrants hiding within the cargo of the truck. Officials said the load consisted of men, women, and children from Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, and Mexico. The Rio Grande Valley Sector continuously leads the nation in the arrest of Unaccompanied Alien Children (UAC) and Family Unit Aliens (FMUA), Breitbart Texas reported.

Agents arrested the driver and took the migrants into custody for processing for immigration violations.

“These smuggling tactics continue to place immigrants in extreme danger,” Rio Grande Valley Sector Chief Patrol Agent Manuel Padilla, Jr. said in a written statement. “With summer approaching, we will continue to work with our local, state, and federal partners, as well as the community, to prevent senseless tragedies.”

On March 26, a K-9 agent alerted to a Ford pickup truck that arrived at the Falfurrias Checkpoint. An inspection of the truck led to the discovery of an illegal immigrant in the cabin and three more hiding in a bed frame. A few minutes later, agents observed a Dodge truck approaching the same checkpoint. After a K-9 alerted, agents referred the driver to a secondary inspection station. The agents found two migrants hiding in the truck’s cabin and another two more hiding in a sofa in the back.

Agents determined both drivers were from the same family and placed them both in custody.

All three drivers are expected to be prosecuted on human smuggling charges.

The illegal immigrants are being processed for immigration violations and will be turned over to immigration officials for processing.

During FY 2018 (through February 28), RGV Sector agents arrested 9,729 illegal immigrants including 2,923 families and 1,406 unaccompanied minors.