Hildalgo, Texas - U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers working at the Hidalgo International Bridge apprehended two northbound travelers wanted by the State of Texas on a charge of alleged armed felony/robbery- with deadly weapon this last weekend.
On Aug. 14, CBP officers working at the Hidalgo International Bridge came in contact with a male and female northbound couple returning to the United States from Mexico. The male traveler was identified as Luis Cruz, 27, a U.S. citizen from Houston, Texas and the female as Crystal Salazar, 23, a U.S. citizen from Houston. A check of a CBP national database identified both subjects as fugitives wanted by the Harris County Sheriff's Office, Houston, Texas on state charges of armed felony/robbery with a deadly weapon. After their arrest, the travelers were transferred to the custody of the Hidalgo, Texas Police Department and both are pending extradition proceedings to Harris County.
"In the screening of arriving international travelers, our officers were able to identify this man and woman as fugitives," said CBP Port Director Hidalgo-Pharr Hector A. Mancha. "This is an example of how our database systems play a significant role in identifying fugitives as they attempt to enter or exit the United States. In this case it was two fugitives traveling together."
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 official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.