A California native who told authorities he was hauling mangos was arrested Wednesday by border agents in the Falfurrias area after allegedly hauling more than just fruit. Authorities believe he was also attempting to smuggle 31 people into the country.
Around 12:50 a.m., Border Patrol agents stopped Ramiro Santiago Gonzalez-Martinez at the Falfurrias checkpoint after the agents’ service K-9 made an alert on his black Peterbilt tractor which was hauling a white Great Dane trailer, according to a criminal complaint.
He told authorities he was hauling mangos, however, when agents opened the trailer they found 31 people “laying on top of boxes containing produce,” the complaint said.
Gonzalez-Martinez was taken into custody along with the 31 people inside the trailer, who were later interviewed by Homeland Security Investigations.
He told investigators he left the produce warehouse around 8:30 p.m. and made three stops before arriving at the checkpoint.
He was previously arrested in 2021 after attempting to smuggle people into the country.
