Skip to main content

An official website of the United States government

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

  • Archived Content
    In an effort to keep CBP.gov current, the archive contains content from a previous administration or is otherwise outdated.
  1. Home
  2. Newsroom
  3. Local Media Release
  4. Multi-Agency Cooperation Foils Several Human Smuggling Attempts

Multi-Agency Cooperation Foils Several Human Smuggling Attempts

Release Date
Fri, 08/21/2020

del rio, Texas – U.S. Border Patrol agents assigned to the Del Rio Sector, along with Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), Edward’s County Sheriff’s Office and CBP Air Operations thwarted several smuggling attempts over the past weekend.

Beginning on Aug. 14, Border Patrol agents assigned to the Del Rio Sector, along with other law enforcement partners, stopped 12 separate smuggling attempts. Within these events, 14 smugglers were arrested, nine of which were United States citizens while five were nationals of Cuba and Mexico. A total of 48 subjects were taken into custody from the countries of  Mexico, El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala and Cuba.

On Aug. 14, Del Rio Station agents witnessed several individuals climb into a pickup truck on Highway 277 South near Del Rio which resulted in a vehicle stop. The driver was a United States citizen and the passenger was a Lawfully Admitted Permanent Resident from Mexico, along with their two minor children. Two illegal aliens from Mexico were also in the vehicle.

On Aug. 15, a Texas Department of Public Safety trooper requested assistance on Farm to Market Road 2523 for a failure-to-yield in progress. Agents of the Del Rio Station responded to assist. The vehicle continued to flee on FM 2523, reaching speeds of 100 miles per hour. Edward’s County Sheriff’s Office deputies deployed a controlled tire deflation device and ended the pursuit. They subsequently apprehend all eight occupants of the vehicle. DPS took custody of the driver, a United States citizen. The remaining seven individuals were determined to be illegal aliens, one of which a seven-year-old Honduran national.

All smugglers face charges of  8 USC 1324, Alien Smuggling, which carries a sentence of up to 10 years in prison.

The illegal aliens were processed in accordance with U.S. Customs and Border Protection guidelines.

A criminal complaint is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

To report suspicious activity call the Del Rio Sector’s toll free number at 1-866-511-8727.

Follow us on Facebook at US Border Patrol Del Rio Sector and on Twitter and Instagram @USBPChiefDRT.

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 securing the borders of the United States while enforcing hundreds of laws and facilitating lawful trade and travel.

Last Modified: Feb 03, 2021