Human Smuggling Attempts at Checkpoint

U.S. Customs and Border Protection

LAREDO (News Release) – Laredo Sector Border Patrol agents working at the I-35 checkpoint intercepted two human smuggling attempts.

Both incidents occurred on Sept. 18, when Border Patrol agents intercepted two human smuggling attempts in separate incidents.  The first incident revealed non-citizens hiding inside a false compartment in an auxiliary fuel tank of a F-250 truck. A total of three non-citizens were concealed inside the false compartment.  On the second incident, a Border Patrol service canine alerted to the vehicle and agents discovered five non-citizens being concealed inside a stack of plywood that was placed inside a van.

A total of eight individuals were safely removed from the concealed compartments and were taken in for processing.

Record checks revealed that all the individuals were in the country illegally from Mexico, Ecuador, El Salvador, and Guatemala. The undocumented individuals were processed accordingly. The drivers will be prosecuted for human smuggling with HSI leading the investigation.