Texas Border Business
EDINBURG, Texas – Border Patrol agents foil two human smuggling attempts and arrest seven illegal aliens.
Wednesday night, the driver of a Lincoln sedan approached the Falfurrias checkpoint for inspection. While agents interviewed the driver, a K-9 alerted to the vehicle. At that time, agents conducted an inspection of the trunk and discovered a Mexican national inside. Agents arrested the smuggled alien and the U.S. citizen driver and escorted them to the checkpoint for processing.
The following day, McAllen agents working in Mission, Texas observed a white Dodge pickup leave a known human smuggling area at a high rate of speed. Agents attempted to conduct a vehicle stop, but the driver failed to yield to the emergency lights. The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) was contacted in order to assist in the pursuit. Moments later, the pursuit led a DPS ground unit and air asset through Mission and Alton before driving back to the river levee. As the vehicle traveled a short distance south of the river levee, the vehicle abruptly came to a stop and multiple subjects jumped out and fled into the nearby brush. A thorough search of the brush led to the arrest of a United States citizen and six illegal aliens later identified from the countries of Mexico and El Salvador. DPS took custody of the driver and vehicle. Border Patrol took custody of the remaining subjects and transported them to the station 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.
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.
