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    In an effort to keep CBP.gov current, the archive contains content from a previous administration or is otherwise outdated.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. Smugglers Disregard COVID-19 Dangers at Two Stash Houses

Smugglers Disregard COVID-19 Dangers at Two Stash Houses

Release Date
Wed, 09/30/2020

Smugglers Disregard COVID-19 Dangers at Two Stash HousesLAREDO, TEXAS – Within hours of each other, U.S. Border Patrol agents working collaboratively with local law enforcement agencies shut down two stash houses in west Laredo.

The first incident occurred during the mid-evening of September 29, when agents from both the Laredo South Station and Laredo North Station, working with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Webb County Constables Office (WCCO) Precinct 2, conducted a consensual search at an apartment on Salinas Avenue.  Suspicious activity had been reported at the residence.  The search led to the discovery of 14 individuals who were being harbored inside.  They were determined to be in the United States illegally from the countries of Mexico and Ecuador.  The U.S. Border Patrol took them into custody pending investigation.   

The second incident occurred a couple of hours later a little over a mile away on Sanchez Street, when agents along with the Laredo Police Department (LPD) acted on information received of another possible stash house.  Agents and LPD officers conducted a consensual search at the residence and apprehended 13 individuals who were in the country illegally from the country of Mexico. 

In both incidents, none of the individuals were wearing any personal protective equipment (PPE). 

 With a noted increase in COVID-19 infections among detainees, the smuggling and housing of large groups of individuals in stash houses and close quarters without PPE not only endangers the people being smuggled, but the safety of our Nation.  Border Patrol agents of the Laredo Sector will continue to work with our local law enforcement partners to ensure the agency’s enduring mission priorities of combatting transnational crime and securing the border. 

To report suspicious activity such as alien and/or drug smuggling, download the “USBP Laredo Sector” App or contact the Laredo Sector Border Patrol toll free at 1-800-343-1994.  If you see something, please say something.  You can also follow us on our social media platforms on Twitter and Instagram @usbpchieflrt and @usbpdepchieflrt and on Facebook at US Border Patrol Laredo Sector. 

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 29, 2024