Truckers Arrested After 73 People Discovered in Big Rig Sleeper and Unrefrigerated Trailer
Laredo, TX; Ocotillo, CA – Two more truckers were arrested and could face human smuggling charges after scores of people were discovered inside big rigs last week.
According to the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP), a trucker who is a citizen of the U.S. was arrested on August 7 at the Interstate 35 Border Patrol checkpoint north of Laredo.
CBP reports that during a secondary inspection of the trucker’s tractor-trailer in the early morning hours, agents discovered 63 individuals inside the unrefrigerated trailer.
All of the individuals, which included four juveniles, were illegally present in the U.S. and from the countries of Mexico and Guatemala, CBP said.
Another recent big rig human smuggling attempt was thwarted by El Centro sector CBP agents on August 9 at the Highway S-2 immigration checkpoint in California.
The incident occurred at approximately 2:30 a.m. when a man driving a gold 1995 semi tractor-trailer approached the checkpoint and agents were given consent to check the sleeper cabin of the vehicle.
During the inspection, agents discovered nine illegal aliens attempting to conceal themselves in the sleeper cabin.
The driver, a 34-year-old legal permanent resident from Mexico, was processed administratively for alien smuggling.
A search of the driver’s pockets also revealed a glass pipe with residue consistent with methamphetamine.
The glass pipe and the big rig were seized.
Seven adult men and two adult females, all from Mexico, were expelled back to their country of origin, CBP said.
Further, CBP recently put out a call to action to bring attention to the alarming rise in big rig human smuggling.
If you see suspicious activity you are urged to notify local law enforcement.
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