LAREDO, Texas — U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents at the Laredo North Station kicked off the week by stopping three human-smuggling attempts using tractor trailers.
The first incident occurred during the late evening of Sunday, March 8, when a tractor-trailer approached the checkpoint on Interstate 35. During an immigration inspection, a CBP K-9 drew agents’ attention to the vehicle, which was referred for a secondary inspection, where a search revealed 44 people.
Just a few minutes later, while conducting a vehicle stop on a commercial tractor hauling a tanker on the interstate’s west access road, agents discovered 43 people hidden in the vehicle.
The third incident took place the morning of Monday, March 9, when a tractor-trailer arrived at the I-35 checkpoint for an immigration inspection. A CBP K-9 alerted agents to the vehicle; during a secondary inspection and search, 24 people were found.
All 111 people were determined to be in the United States illegally from the countries of Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico. None of the individuals were wearing personal protective equipment (PPE); all were medically screened and provided PPE before being placed under arrest pending further investigation by Special Agents of Homeland Security Investigations. All three tractor-trailers were seized by CBP.
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