LAREDO, Texas — U.S. Border Patrol agents assigned to the Interstate 35 checkpoint north of Laredo, Texas, last week stopped a human-smuggling attempt involving a commercial truck.
The incident occurred April 16, when a commercial tractor-trailer, driven by a U.S. citizen, approached the checkpoint. A nonintrusive scan of the trailer revealed multiple anomalies. Agents opened the sealed cargo area of the tractor-trailer and discovered a total of 149 undocumented individuals locked inside. None were wearing personal protective equipment (PPE); all were medically screened and provided PPE.
The undocumented individuals were determined to be in the U.S. illegally from the countries of Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Venezuela, El Salvador, Peru and Ecuador. All 149 people, along with the truck driver, were all placed under arrest pending further investigation by Special Agents of Homeland Security Investigations. The U.S. Border Patrol seized both the tractor and trailer.
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