WATCH: 18 Migrants Found by Texas Troopers in 18-Wheeler near Border

Texas Department of Public Safety troopers found a group of migrants locked inside a tractor-trailer near Laredo on September 14. Troopers found the tractor-trailer driver did not have a commercial driver’s license.

Troopers operating along the border region under Governor Greg Abbott’s Operation Lone Star stopped a tractor-trailer in Webb County, Texas, on Thursday. During an inspection of the vehicle, the trooper found 18 migrants locked inside the trailer.

.@TxDPS stops a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) & disrupts a human smuggling attempt in Webb County. A DPS Trooper stopped the CMV for a traffic violation. The driver did not possess a valid commercial driver license. A search revealed 18 illegal immigrants locked inside the… pic.twitter.com/7aIwVPOmCn

— Chris Olivarez (@LtChrisOlivarez) September 19, 2023

The trooper arrested the driver, identified as Michael Wilson, a Cotulla, Texas, resident. He faces charges of smuggling of persons, according to a tweet from DPS spokesman, Lieutenant Chris Olivarez.

RELATED ARTICLES: 

Exclusive: Migrant Released by Biden Admin Arrested for Texas Border Town Murder

EXCLUSIVE PHOTOS: 1,500 Migrants Cross into Texas Border Town in 6 Hours

WATCH: Horseback Border Agents Chase Down Alleged Human Smuggler After Texas DPS Pursuit

WATCH: Alleged Human Smuggler Assaults Texas Trooper Following Pursuit near Border

Exclusive: Biden Admin Breaks Texas Town’s All Time Record for Migrant Apprehensions

Laredo Sector Border Patrol agents arrived and identified the migrants as residents of Mexico. The agents took custody of the 18 migrants.

Through the end of July, the latest statistics available from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Laredo Sector agents apprehended nearly 40,000 migrants who crossed the border illegally between ports of entry. This is down from more than 94,000 during the same period one year ago.