detection of human scent.
LAREDO, Texas – Laredo Sector Border Patrol agents assigned to the I-35 checkpoint successfully disrupted a human smuggling attempt using dangerous tactics by smugglers. This is a continuing trend seen at immigration checkpoints.
Recently, two tactics used in failed human smuggling incidents were the use of lemon pepper seasoning and shipping crates. The smugglers intended to use the seasoning to hinder the Service canine’s ability to detect any human scent. The wooden shipping crates were used to conceal undocumented individuals inside a tractor trailer. The added danger is that individuals are crammed inside these confined spaces with little to no ventilation. The individuals will generally have no means of escape even when temperatures exceed 100 degrees Fahrenheit, leaving them at the mercy of criminal smugglers.
Undocumented individuals face treacherous journeys as they try to enter and travel through the U.S. undetected. The following images are tragic testimonies of the ruthless and careless methods transnational criminal organizations use to carry out their illicit activities and view undocumented individuals as a mere commodity to exploit and profit from.
Agents of the Laredo Sector Border Patrol continue to work tirelessly around the clock not only to detect such tactics being utilized by smugglers, but also provide aid to the individuals who placed themselves or were placed in these dangerous situations.
Help take a stand against criminal organizations and their potentially dangerous acts by reporting suspicious activity. To report suspicious activity such as human and/or drug smuggling, contact the Laredo Sector Border Patrol toll free at 1-800-343-1994.