270 Migrants Found in Five Tractor-Trailer Rigs at Texas Checkpoints near Border

Border Patrol agents in South Texas apprehended more than 270 migrants packed in tractor-trailers at interior immigration checkpoints during the past week. The arrests took place in five separate smuggling incidents.

Laredo Sector Chief Patrol Agent Carl E. Landrum tweeted a report that agents in his sector assigned to interior immigration checkpoints apprehended more than 270 migrants packed by human smugglers into the back of tractor-trailer rigs.

This past week #USBP Laredo Sector agents prevented five human smuggling events in tractor-trailers resulting in the apprehension of over 270 undocumented individuals. Our @USBorderPatrol agents and K9 Teams are working hard daily to safeguard our nation’s borders #BorderSecurity pic.twitter.com/ZRvQWxVak6

— Chief Patrol Agent Carl E. Landrum (@USBPChiefLRT) April 3, 2022

Border Patrol agents effectively utilized K-9 teams to detect the presence of migrants packed into the trailers of the commercial rigs. These five smuggling incidents took place at interior immigration checkpoints near the Texas border with Mexico. Some of those are located more than 80 miles inland.

This past week, #USBP Laredo Sector agents apprehended over 3,000 undocumented individuals, deterred over 500 subjects from crossing the Rio Grande, and seized over 850 lbs. of narcotics.

Laredo Sector @USBorderPatrol #BorderSecurity #IamLaredoSector pic.twitter.com/8yDP0JAd40

— Chief Patrol Agent Carl E. Landrum (@USBPChiefLRT) April 2, 2022

Landrum also tweeted images and a report of his agents apprehending more than 3,000 migrants last week. In addition to the apprehensions, Laredo Sector agents also turned back more than 500 migrants and kept them from crossing the Rio Grande. They also seized more than 850 pounds of drugs, Landrum stated.

During the first five months of this fiscal year, which began October 1, 2021, Laredo Sector agents apprehended just under 40,000 migrants. March numbers for the Laredo Sector are not yet available, but the apprehension of 3,000 migrants in a single week could indicate a sharp increase in the only Border Patrol sector that previously showed a decrease over FY2021 apprehensions.