EDINBURG, Texas – Rio Grande Valley Sector Border Patrol (RGV) agents and local law enforcement partners disrupted five human smuggling events resulting in 67 apprehensions.
On May 3, Kingsville Border Patrol Station (KIN) agents working at the Javier Vega Jr. checkpoint referred a tractor trailer carrying produce to the secondary inspection area following a K-9 alert. Agents discovered 25 migrants hiding amongst the produce. The migrants are nationals of Central America.
Later that morning, agents from the McAllen Border Patrol Station (MCS) responded to a request for assistance from the La Joya Police Department (LJPD) on a vehicle stop which resulted in a bailout. Agents determined the driver, and six passengers were unlawfully present in the U.S. LJPD officers seized the vehicle and arrested the driver to face state charges for migrant smuggling. The migrants who are citizens of Honduras, Mexico, and El Salvador were transported to a Border Patrol facility.
Just after noon, RGV agents and officers from the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) investigated a residence suspected of harboring several individuals. Agents and HCSO officers approached the property and observed several subjects attempting to abscond. Agents apprehended 16 migrants, illegally present in the U.S. All subjects were taken into Border Patrol custody. No caretaker was identified.
Also on May 3, HCSO requested assistance from Harlingen Border Patrol Station agents with a vehicle pursuit in Willacy County. Responding agents were able to apprehend seven migrants determined to be in the U.S. illegally.
That evening, KIN agents working near Norias, attempted to initiate an immigration inspection on the occupants of a Chevrolet Traverse displaying temporary license plates. The driver failed to yield and led agents on a vehicle pursuit. The vehicle came to a stop and the occupants bailed out of the vehicle. Agents searched the surrounding area and apprehended seven migrants unlawfully present in the U.S. The driver was not located.
About an hour later, RGV agents had another vehicle pursuit near San Manuel. This interdiction resulted in the arrest of the U.S. citizen driver and four passengers unlawfully present in the U.S.
Border Patrol processed all subjects accordingly.
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~CBP~