The Frio County Sheriff’s Office has seen an increase in human smuggling cases, including two trucks full of illegal aliens detained near Moore within just the past few days. Because illegal aliens are often transported in stolen vehicles, they’ve also recovered several stolen vehicles that were used and then dumped in Frio County.
“In the past two months, we have seen an increase in these human smuggling cases,” said the Frio County Sheriff’s Office. “According to sources, this is increasing due to the migrant flow from South America trying to get into the US. We have had several stolen vehicles recovered and other incidents with human smuggling in the past two months with most of those stolen vehicles we recovered coming from Austin or San Antonio. Our criminal interdiction unit and other patrol deputies are coming across these incidents not just on the highway but also our county roads.”
Around 8 am this past Tuesday morning, the Frio County Sheriff’s Department initiated a traffic stop on a 2013 white Dodge 4×4 dully for several traffic violations. The stop was made just a few miles south of Moore along IH 35 northbound at mile marker 107.
“Upon making contact with the driver we noticed five people in the rear of the truck hunched down,” said a representative of the Frio County Sheriff’s Office. “The driver had no ID on him but we were able to identify the 28 yr old male out of Laredo by name and date of birth. The driver and five undocumented aliens were turned over to Border Patrol agents out of Cotulla.”
“The driver, or coyote, stated that he was expecting to get a little over $5,000” for the illegal operation, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
While the vehicle this past Tuesday was not reported stolen as of the time of arrest, authorities say there is a great correlation between the number of stolen vehicles and human smuggling increases. “They’ll steal these trucks and remove the backseat and load it up with illegal aliens, and then dump the truck later,” the Sheriff’s Office adds.
Ironically a similar incident happened at the same location just last Friday 03/22/2019 around 7:40am. “A Gold 2004 Nissan Quest Van was stopped for a traffic violation. The vehicle drove into the center median but then stopped. The driver was quickly detained and he had six undocumented aliens with him. The driver and another six occupants were also turned over to Border patrol agents out of Cotulla.”
