LAREDO, Texas – Laredo Sector Border Patrol agents assigned to the Freer and Laredo North Stations apprehended a large group of individuals after responding to a burning tractor-trailer approximately 18 miles east of Laredo, Texas.
The event occurred during the early morning of August 29, when agents received a call from the Webb County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO) of a trailer that was burning on Highway 59.
after responding to a burning tractor-trailer.
As agents approached the burnt trailer, they found that the trailer seal had been cut and someone had opened the doors. Agents searched the area and found 64 undocumented individuals hiding in the brush nearby. The individuals were from the countries of Guatemala and Mexico were uninjured and processed accordingly before being returned to their home countries. At this time, it is unknown what caused the fire.
Human smugglers play a dangerous game with the lives and safety of the people they exploit for profit. Laredo Sector agents focus on the agency’s enduring mission priorities of countering terrorism, combating transnational crime, securing the border, facilitating lawful trade, protecting revenue, and facilitating lawful travel.
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.