Rio Grande Valley border agents intercepted and stopped two human smuggling incidents which resulted in 21 arrests and a firearm seizure Monday.
While patrolling Garceno, Border Patrol agents came across footprints belonging to a small group of individuals.
The agents called for assistance from the Starr County Sheriff’s Office after the tracks led them to a residence.
Once inside the home, authorities found 13 individuals which were determined to have been in the United States illegally.
The El Salvadoran and Mexican nationals were arrested without incident.
Later that same day, agents were informed of two residences in Edinburg suspected of being used as stash houses for human smuggling.
With the assistance provided by Precinct 4 Hidalgo County Constable’s Office, authorities responded to the first location and encountered six subjects from Mexico and Honduras determined to have been in the U.S. illegally.
At the second location, agents observed two individuals leaving the property in a vehicle.
Border Patrol attempted to conduct an immigration inspection on the two at a nearby store but the subjects ran into the brush, though they were both ultimately apprehended.
One subject was a U.S. citizen while the other was a Mexican national.
A search of the second location resulted in the recovery of a loaded shotgun which was handed over to the sheriff’s office.
All subjects were processed accordingly.
