EDINBURG, Texas –Rio Grande Valley Sector Border Patrol (RGV) agents and local law enforcement partners work together to disrupt human smuggling.
On Dec. 1, at approximately 7:00 p.m., a F-350 utility truck failed to yield to RGV agents and Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) deputies working in San Manuel, Texas. Attempting to evade, the vehicle changed its course and began to travel on the southbound lane. The vehicle veered off road and drove through a fence on the west side of U.S. Highway 281. The truck eventually came to a stop approximately ¾ of a mile into the property where several subjects were seen exiting the vehicle and running into the brush. Agents apprehended 13 migrants from Mexico, Honduras, and El Salvador. The driver was not located.
Meanwhile in La Grulla, Rio Grande City Border Patrol Station agents observed multiple subjects enter a Dodge Ram at the intersection of Mission Street and PVT Lazaro Solis Street. The vehicle fled the scene as law enforcement units approached. The vehicle continued down the dirt road and eventually lost control in the mud, ultimately hitting a tree. With the assistance of La Grulla Police Department officers and Starr County Sheriff’s Office deputies, three subjects were apprehended, including the driver, a local resident. The driver and illegally present Salvadoran nationals refused medical attention.
Later that evening, RGV agents, alongside HCSO deputies, attempted to stop a Chevrolet Silverado on U.S. Highway 281 and FM1017. The vehicle turned onto the southbound lane and drove through three property fences, rampaged through an RV park located on the west side of U.S. Highway 281, and finally came to a stop in a pond of a neighboring property. Several subjects exited and ran from the vehicle. With the assistance of a CBP air asset, 14 subjects were apprehended. The migrants are citizens of Mexico, Honduras, and El Salvador. The driver was not located.
All subjects are being processed accordingly.
The public is encouraged to take a stand against crime in their communities and report suspicious activity at 800-863-9382.
Please visit www.cbp.gov to view additional news releases and other information pertaining to Customs and Border Protection. Follow us on Twitter @CBPRGV and @USBPChiefRGV.
~CBP~
U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the comprehensive management, control, and protection of our nation’s borders, combining customs, immigration, border security, and agricultural protection at and between official ports of entry.