Border Patrol agents seeing increase of human smuggling across checkpoints
U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agents have been seeing a new wave of human smuggling since the summer months.
In one week, Border Patrol agents reported 20 stops of human smuggling in commercial vehicles —16 at the Falfurrias checkpoint and four at the Kingsville checkpoint.
Officials say 16 stops at one checkpoint in seven days is rare, and want to remind truck drivers of the consequences.
"If you have a commercial driver's license and you're convicted of aiding and smuggling, you will lose you license for life," said Border Patrol Agent Dustin Araujo.
Araujo said this is made possible by the Texas Hold Em' initiative, adding that if truck drivers are stopped with extra passengers they weren't aware of, penalties won't be that severe, but it will take some time to prove and could cause delays in shipment arrival times.
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