EDINBURG, Texas – Rio Grande Valley Sector (RGV) Border Patrol agents interdicted four smuggling events leading to 117 arrests.
Falfurrias Border Patrol Checkpoint agents discovered 96 migrants from a sealed tractor trailer on November 10. Agents referred the vehicle to the secondary inspection area following a K-9 alert. Agents discovered the migrants hidden among rotten produce. The driver, a U.S. citizen was placed under arrest. The migrants are nationals of Mexico and South and Central America. All subjects were found to be in good health.
On November 8, a McAllen Border Patrol Station camera operator spotted several subjects running northbound from the Rio Grande near Abram. A Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) Air and Marine Operations (AMO) helicopter responded and observed several subjects loading into a black Volvo hatchback. A responding agent attempted to stop the vehicle, but the driver failed to yield. The vehicle came to stop, and the occupants bailed out. Agents apprehended eight migrants from Mexico, El Salvador, and Guatemala. The driver was not located.
Later that evening, Rio Grande City Border Patrol Station agents observed several suspected migrants move north from the Rio Grande and load into a white Dodge Ram near Roma. As agents attempted to initiate an immigration inspection, the driver veered off the road and crashed into a cinderblock wall. The occupants absconded from the vehicle. Agents apprehended three migrants who were not injured. The driver was not located.
That same day, Harlingen Border Patrol Station agents attempted to conduct a vehicle stop on a Nissan Xterra near Yturria. After agent’s activated their vehicle’s emergency equipment, the driver veered off the road into a ranch fence before coming to a stop. The occupants bailed out and absconded into nearby brush. Agents, with the assistance of CBP AMO helicopter, encountered 9 subjects determined to be in the U.S. illegally. The migrants were arrested, and the vehicle seized. The driver was not located.
All subjects were processed accordingly.
Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs) have continuously demonstrated their callous nature of putting monetary gains above regard for human life and safety. These dangers are not all inclusive of the risks associated to crossing illegally. With winter approaching, individuals being smuggled into the U.S. in these horrendous conditions are susceptible to serious injury or death. RGV urges migrants not to place their lives at risk attempting to cross illegally.
“Criminal organizations continue to exploit our South Texas border region disregarding public safety and placing human lives in danger using various types of conveyances to smuggle migrants into the United States,” stated RGV Sector Chief Patrol Agent Gloria I. Chavez. “I’m incredibly proud of our RGV Border Patrol Agents for keeping the pace and disrupting these dangerous smuggling attempts.”
The public is encouraged to take a stand against crime in their communities and to help save lives by reporting suspicious activity at 1-800-863-9382.
Please visit www.cbp.gov to view additional news releases and other information pertaining to Customs and Border Protection. Follow us on Twitter @CBPRGV and @USBPChiefRGV.