Thread: Texas is after truckers who smuggle

Texas is after truckers who smuggle
By eTrucker Staff

Texas Gov. Rick Perry announced that his state and the U.S. Border Patrol will begin cracking down on commercial truckers who knowingly smuggle illegal weapons, drugs or humans across the Texas-Mexico border.

The Republican governor directed the Texas Department of Public Safety to work with the Border Patrol in an initiative dubbed "Texas Hold ‘Em" to revoke the commercial driver's licenses of those convicted of felony smuggling.

"The vast majority of Texas truckers are law-abiding citizens who work incredibly long hours to feed their families and keep our economy moving," Perry said. "But there are those who are breaking the law to make a quick buck. And to those lawbreakers, we are sending the message: If you knowingly smuggle goods across the Texas border, you will lose your license and your livelihood."

Texas border security has forced criminals to find alternate ways of smuggling contraband into the state from Mexico, Perry said. These include paying commercial drivers to transport contraband, including drugs and humans, across the border.

In the first eight months of fiscal year 2008, Border Patrol agents in Texas intercepted 423 tractor-trailers, resulting in the detainment of more than 1,800 undocumented immigrants and more than 112,000 pounds of illegal drugs, Perry said. In the Laredo area alone, 330 truck drivers have been caught smuggling drugs or humans into Texas in the past 18 months.

The "Texas Hold ‘Em" initiative includes a tipster hot line and rewards for information leading to felony smuggling convictions.
http://www.etrucker.com/apps/news/article.asp?id=70222

Texas Hold'em . It's time this loon of a Governor takes Arnie's hand and they both can skip down the road singing ,"Tip Toe to the To Tulips." Moonbats to the Max . No moral Compass

The Republican governor directed the Texas Department of Public Safety to work with the Border Patrol in an initiative dubbed "Texas Hold ‘Em" to revoke the commercial driver's licenses of those convicted of felony smuggling.

The driver needs to serve jail time.

They need to be barred from obtaining ANY type of driver's license permanently.

The truck needs to be seized and forfeited to the government whether owned by a trucking company or the driver.

Prohibit trucking companies from crossing the border if caught once smuggling.