Border busts: U.S. Border Patrol net narcotics and illegal alien smuggling attempts

Posted: Monday, August 13, 2018 9:35 am

By RAUL GARCIA Staff Writer
HARLINGEN — Over the past week, Border Patrol and local law enforcement were busy securing the border around the Valley.

Agents apprehended more than 200 illegal immigrants attempting to cross and hiding in stash houses.

And they seized a combined estimated street value of more than $3 million in narcotics.

The Rio Grande Valley Sector currently has multiple campaigns focused on rescues and danger awareness, such as “Operation Big Rig” and “No Se Arriesgue” — or “Do Not Risk It — to combat smuggling and ultimately save lives.

Here’s a look at some of the busts since Aug. 4.

Border Patrol and constables disrupt stash house

U.S. Border Patrol agents, working in collaboration with the Precinct 4 Hidalgo County Constable’s Office, dismantled a stash house operation in Edinburg, on Aug. 6.

Agents identified the stash house and apprehended 29 illegal immigrants. The individuals were from Mexico, El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala and China.

Agents apprehend group of 60 aliens

Agents apprehended a group of 60 illegal immigrants near Hidalgo.

On Aug. 5, agents patrolling along the Rio Grande encountered a large group of immigrants consisting of 25 family units — 51 total subjects — seven unaccompanied children and two adults. The group was comprised of men, women and children from Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras.

According to CBP reports, all subjects were processed accordingly.

Agents seize over 200 pounds of marijuana, rescue smuggler

Border Patrol agents near Brownsville observed a pickup truck loaded with bundles of marijuana departing the Rio Grande on Aug. 4. Agents, along with the Cameron County Sheriff’s Office, attempted to stop the vehicle. The driver of the pickup drove back to the river area and three subjects bailed out of the vehicle and jumped into the river.

Agents observed one of the three subjects struggling to stay afloat as he attempted to swim back to Mexico. An agent went into the river and rescued the man from drowning. The agents seized more than 215 pounds of marijuana worth nearly $173,000.

The Cameron County Sheriff’s Office took custody of the subject, narcotics and vehicle.

Agents save multiple illegal immigrants lost in brush

On Aug. 4, Falfurrias agents responded to three separate 911 calls resulting in the rescue of five illegal immigrants who were lost in the brush after they were abandoned by smugglers.

Agents provided basic medical attention and transported them to the Falfurrias Border Patrol Station for processing.

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