Jan. 30 (UPI) — U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agents in Texas found 76 undocumented immigrants in the back of a tractor-trailer near the border with Mexico, the CBP announced Monday.
The incident occurred on Jan. 26 in Laredo, Texas, after the driver was pulled over during an immigration checkpoint. Border Patrol inspected the truck and found 76 undocumented immigrants from Mexico, Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala.
There were also 13 unaccompanied children in the vehicle, the agency said in a statement.
The CBP said all of the immigrants were in “good health.”
The driver, who is a U.S. citizen, was arrested.
“These criminal organizations view these individuals as mere commodities without regard for their safety,” said Gabriel Acosta, the assistant chief patrol agent in Laredo. “The blatant disregard for human life will not be tolerated. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to disrupt and dismantle these organizations and prosecute those responsible.”
In July, 10 undocumented immigrants died from overheating in Texas when they were being smuggled in the back of a tractor-trailer in which the air conditioning and ventilation systems broke down.
