57 Illegal Migrants Were Discovered in Two Commercial Trailers in Falfurrias
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
EDINBURG, Texas – Rio Grande Valley Border Patrol agents successfully disrupt five human smuggling incidents across the Rio Grande Valley.
On Wednesday, August 18, Rio Grande City Border Patrol Station agents utilizing a small unmanned aircraft system (sUAS) detected a group of individuals walk away from the Rio Grande and into an awaiting vehicle in Roma, Texas. Roma Police Department officers encountered the vehicle and attempted to perform a traffic stop. The vehicle failed to yield and continued north on Highway 83 before officers lost sight of it. Authorities later found the vehicle abandoned. A search of the area resulted in the discovery of three illegally present migrants. Due to the reckless driving of the smuggler, two of the migrants suffered minor injuries, including a laceration to the head. The migrants were transported to the hospital for further evaluation.
Later that evening, Falfurrias Border Patrol Station agents attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a tan Dodge Caravan. The van failed to yield and continued northbound on Highway 281 into Premont, Texas. The suspect vehicle exited the highway and proceeded a short distance westbound on FM 2295 where numerous subjects were seen absconding from the vehicle. Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) troopers at the scene requested medical attention for the driver of the vehicle, who was complaining of dizziness. Texas DPS troopers took custody of the driver. The remaining migrants were taken into Border Patrol custody.
On August 19, a silver Honda Ridgeline approached the Falfurrias Border Patrol Checkpoint for inspection. During the inspection, a service K9 alerted to the vehicle. Upon further inspection, one Mexican national was located under the backseat and two more Mexican nationals were discovered trapped in a truck bed compartment. A temperature reading of the enclosure displayed 96 degrees Fahrenheit. The driver and migrants were escorted inside of the checkpoint for processing.
Additionally, 57 migrants were discovered in two commercial trailers at the Falfurrias Border Patrol Checkpoint.
Border Patrol processed all subjects accordingly.