Smugglers Pack 24 Migrants in Dump Trailers in 2 Texas Border Sectors

Border Patrol agents in two Texas sectors found groups of migrants being smuggled in dump trailers in attempts to circumvent interior immigration checkpoints. The interdictions led to the apprehensions of 24 migrants and the recovery of a stolen truck.

Rio Grande Valley Sector Border Patrol agents observed a Chevrolet pickup truck hauling a dump trailer traveling on a caliche road south of the Javier Vega, Jr. Immigration Checkpoin0t on November 8. The area located near U.S. Highway 77 is a well-known drop-off area for smugglers attempting to move their “human cargo” around the checkpoint.

As an agent drove by the vehicle, he observed multiple people in the cab of the truck. The agent stopped and observed the driver pulling to the side of the road and numerous people bailing out and fleeing into the brush.

The agent immediately apprehended four subjects and called for assistance, officials stated. A search team, including an Air and Marine Operations helicopter crew, rounded up 14 more migrants.

An immigration interview identified the migrants as citizens of Mexico and Central American nations. A check on the pickup truck revealed that smugglers stole the truck in the Houston area. Officials were unable to identify the driver, the report states.

The trailer reportedly had no identifiable markings, officials reported.

That same day, Del Rio Sector agents assigned to an immigration checkpoint observed a commercial dump truck approaching for inspection. During an initial screening and interview, a Border Patrol K-9 alerted to an odor it is trained to detect coming from the dump truck.

A secondary inspection led to the apprehension of six more migrants. The agents removed the migrants from the truck and processed them for removal, officials tweeted.