Human Smuggling Attempts Result in 102 Apprehensions in the Rio Grande Valley
Human Smuggling Attempts Result in 102 Apprehensions in the Rio Grande Valley
Release Date: November 12, 2020
EDINBURG, Texas – In 24 hours, Rio Grande Valley agents foiled four human smuggling attempts, arresting 102 illegal aliens.
Tuesday morning, Rio Grande City agents received information of a possible stash house located in Roma, Texas. Border Patrol and the Roma Police Department arrived at the residence and discovered 46 subjects illegally in the country being held in the home.
The subjects in the residence were determined to be from Mexico, Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala.
Tuesday afternoon, Weslaco agents working in San Juan, Texas, in coordination with San Juan Police Department, investigated information regarding an active illegal alien stash house. Law enforcement personnel discovered a total of 52 subjects, all determined to be illegally present in the United States.
The subjects were citizens of Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador and Nicaragua.
The home was not properly ventilated and the temperature was in excess of 90 degrees. Several of the subjects displayed flu like symptoms and were treated accordingly.
Later that afternoon, McAllen agents were called to assist La Joya Police Officers on a traffic stop near the Stars Drive-In on Expressway 83. An interview of all occupants revealed the driver and passenger, U.S. citizens, attempted to transport one illegal alien further into the United States.
Tuesday evening, a Ford mustang approached the Javier Vega Jr. Checkpoint for inspection. A service canine alerted to the trunk area of the vehicle and was subsequently referred to the secondary inspection area. Further inspection of the trunk revealed two subjects, illegally present in the U.S. A third subject was discovered concealed underneath blankets in the rear seat of the vehicle. The driver and passenger were placed under arrest and all five subjects were escorted inside the checkpoint for processing.
Border Patrol processed the cases and subjects accordingly.
The Rio Grande Valley Sector currently has multiple campaigns focused on rescues and danger awareness, such as “Operation Big Rig” and “No Se Arriesgue” to combat smuggling and ultimately save lives. Call 911 to report suspicious activity; “They’re humans, not cargo!”
Even with the spread of the COVID-19 virus, human smugglers continue to try these brazen attempts with zero regard for the lives they endanger nor to the health of the citizens of our great nation. The U.S. Border Patrol agents of the Rio Grande Valley Sector will continue to safeguard the nation and community against these criminal elements.
Please visit www.cbp.gov to view additional news releases and other information pertaining to Customs and Border Protection. Follow us on Twitter @CBPRGV, @USBPChiefRGV and @USBPDepChiefRGV.
https://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/local-m...-grande-valley
