Border Agents Locate 49 Migrants Inside 18-Wheeler

SIERRA BLANCA, TX –– A secondary inspection at an I-10 immigration checkpoint led agents to 49 undocumented migrants hidden inside an 18-wheeler.

According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, during the initial inspection, a K-9 alerted agents of an issue with the tractor-trailer.

Inside the 18-wheeler agents located migrants from Brazil, Ecuador, El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, Mexico, and Peru.

The driver of the 18-wheeler was turned over to Homeland Security Investigations and the migrants were medically evaluated before being processed.

“Checkpoint operations are vital to monitoring the egress of illegal activity into the United States,” said Big Bend Sector Chief Patrol Agent Sean L. McGoffin. “Agents and their K-9 partners were able to positively identify a large smuggling scheme, saving multiple individuals from a potentially dangerous situation.”