EDINBURG, Texas – This holiday weekend, Rio Grande Valley Sector agents successfully halted four human smuggling cases at the Falfurrias and Javier Vega Jr. Border Patrol Checkpoints.
Saturday evening, Kingsville agents referred a Ford Flex to secondary inspection after a Border Patrol K-9 alerted to the vehicle. At secondary, agents discovered a Salvadoran national hidden on the floor of the vehicle. During processing, record checks revealed that the smuggled alien was a confirmed Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) gang member.
Yesterday, agents at the Falfurrias Checkpoint discovered three illegal aliens hidden in the trunk of a Nissan Maxima. The discovery of the smuggled aliens was due to a K-9 alert during the initial immigration inspection. Agents removed a Salvadoran and two Mexican nationals from the vehicle. All subjects were medically screened for injuries by the agents on scene.
Additionally, Falfurrias agents encountered a tractor trailer used to smuggle 30 illegal aliens. A convicted sex offender was apprehended in a separate smuggling attempt.
All subjects will be processed 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.
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