EDINBURG — A group of 17 undocumented immigrants were found inside a tractor-trailer Sunday at the Flying J gas station in Edinburg, according to Edinburg police.
EDINBURG — A group of 17 undocumented immigrants were found inside a tractor-trailer Sunday at the Flying J gas station in Edinburg, according to Edinburg police.
There were no ambulances observed on the scene, and Edinburg police did not report any injuries or casualties. After receiving a call from a relative of an individual inside the trailer, Edinburg police said they arrived on the scene and began knocking on tractor-trailers. Once officers received knocks back from one trailer, they found 17 immigrants locked inside from Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras and Romania, police said.
A male and female of Cuban nationality who were in charge of the tractor-trailer were detained, police said.
Border Patrol is taking over the investigation. Robert Rodriguez, a Public Affairs Supervisor for Border Patrol, said they are still gathering details. Homeland Security is also looking into the incident.
“Homeland Security Investigations agents are working with state and local officials to determine the possibility of launching a human smuggling investigation. HSI special agents will continue working leads in an effort to determine who’s responsible for this criminal act,” HSI spokeswoman Nina Pruñeda said. “It’s too early to speculate who is involved.”
Before being taken into custody, The Monitor observed a group of more than 10 individuals sitting in a shaded area underneath a tree. They were drinking bottled water while Border Patrol agents conducted the investigation. The group of individuals were eventually searched before being escorted into a Border Patrol van.
Monitor staff writer Lorenzo Zazueta-Castro contributed to this story.
