Immigration
VIDEO: 60 undocumented migrants found smuggled inside dump truck
A video of the event shared by TDPS spokesman Lt. Chris Olivarez on Twitter shows dozens of migrants climbing out of the bed of the truck
October 25, 2022 9:17pm
Updated: October 25, 2022 9:17pm
Texas state troopers found 60 undocumented migrants that were being smuggled across the border inside of a dump truck, Texas Department of Public Safety (TDPS) officials said on Monday.
A video of the event shared by TDPS spokesman Lt. Chris Olivarez on Twitter shows dozens of migrants climbing out of the bed of the truck in Cotulla, Texas.
"[TDPS] disrupted a human smuggling attempt on IH 35 in Cotulla. The driver attempted to smuggle 60+ illegal immigrants concealed inside a dump truck. Driver arrested & illegal immigrants turned over to #USBP - more details to come," Olivarez wrote.
HAPPENING NOW: @TxDPS disrupted a human smuggling attempt on IH 35 in Cotulla. The driver attempted to smuggle 60+ illegal immigrants concealed inside a dump truck. Driver arrested & illegal immigrants turned over to #USBP - more details to come. #OperationLoneStar pic.twitter.com/7AbYwP2AFg
— Chris Olivarez (@LtChrisOlivarez) October 25, 2022
The migrants, all young males, were taken into U.S. Border Patrol custody. The truck driver was arrested for attempted human smuggling.
The bust comes months as border officials are seeing an increase in smuggling attempts across the border, including attempted smuggling attempts by small airplanes. Border Patrol agents intercepted three such smuggling attempts in the last 30 days, according to Fox News.
"We're seeing an increase," Olivarez said of human smuggling attempts by plane. "It's started to become more common. But … these are small, private airports. They're not using the larger airports where there's TSA. These are the smaller airports where you don't have the security measures in place for private planes. It's kind of hard to … do surveillance at every single airport."
"This human smuggling organization operated on an enormous scale, placing a high value on financial profit, while putting migrants’ lives at great risk," Assistant Attorney General Kenneth Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division said in a statement.
