Texas Border Business
EDINBURG, Texas – Rio Grande Valley Sector Border Patrol (RGV) agents made 29 arrests and seized over 230 pounds of marijuana inside a stash house located in Roma with the assistance of Starr County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO). Agents also seized a gun from the driver of a migrant load vehicle at the Falfurrias Border Patrol Checkpoint.
USCBP Image 
USCBP Image
On Nov. 3, Rio Grande City agents observed several subjects attempting to load into two vehicles in Escobares. As agents responded the vehicles quickly sped off abandoning one migrant from Mexico and a bundle of marijuana. Shortly thereafter, agents encountered the two vehicles parked at a nearby residence and contacted SCSO deputies, who obtained a search warrant. Inside the residence, they encountered 29 migrants from Brazil, Dominican Republic, Central America, and Mexico. Four bundles of marijuana were also discovered at the residence. No caretakers were identified. Agents transported the narcotics and migrants to the station for processing. The total weight of the marijuana bundles weighed more than 230 pounds and is valued at approximately $184,000. The marijuana was turned over to the SCSO.
Earlier in the day, Falfurrias Border Patrol agents working at the checkpoint referred a Dodge pickup that was pulling a travel trailer to the secondary inspection area after a service canine alerted to the trailer. During the secondary inspection, agents discovered 21 migrants concealed within the travel trailer. Agents determined all the migrants were illegally present in the United States and were from China, Central America, and Mexico. The driver and migrants were placed under arrest. Agents also discovered a loaded 9mm pistol with the serial number filed off inside the Dodge pickup. Record checks revealed the driver has extensive criminal history in Victoria, Texas, to include assault causes bodily injury of a family member and interfering with an emergency call, to which he was sentenced to 60 days confinement.
All subjects were processed accordingly.
The public is encouraged to take a stand against crime in their communities and report suspicious activity at 800-863-9382.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation’s borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.
