FALFURRIAS, Texas – Border Patrol agents from the Rio Grande Valley Sector rescued 15 people in three incidents at the Falfurrias Checkpoint on Saturday.
Immigrants hidden in a refrigerated trailer at the Falfurrias Checkpoint
“Thanks to the alertness and vigilance of our Border Patrol agents and our highly skilled canines, we were able to rescue these individuals,” said Acting Chief Patrol Agent Raul Ortiz. “Illegally entering the United States is extremely dangerous and we urge people to not put their lives in the hands of unscrupulous human smugglers.”
The largest rescue occurred when agents at the Falfurrias Checkpoint on U.S. Highway 281 North were conducting an immigration inspection on the driver of a tractor-trailer. During the inspection a Border Patrol K-9 alerted to the trailer. Upon further investigation, agents found 11 illegal immigrants enclosed within a refrigerated trailer among a load of produce, exposed to temperatures of around 50 degrees Fahrenheit. The driver, a citizen of the United States was arrested.
Additionally, in two separate incidents, agents at the checkpoint rescued two Guatemalan women from the trunk of one car as well as a man from El Salvador and a woman from Ecuador in another. Two women and one man, who are all United States citizens, were arrested in the smuggling attempts.
The Rio Grande Valley Sector is part of the Joint Task Force-West South Texas Corridor, which leverages federal, state and local resources to combat transnational criminal organizations. To report suspicious activity, call the sector’s toll-free telephone number at 800-863-9382.