Texas : During a routine traffic stop in Texas on Friday, authorities uncovered 27 illegal immigrants being smuggled in a horse trailer, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) confirmed.
A DPS trooper stopped a Ford F-250 towing a horse trailer on US-281 in Hidalgo County. The driver was identified as Jose Guadalupe Salinas from Palmview, Texas.
When asked about the contents of the trailer, Salinas claimed he was transporting two horses. The officer requested consent to search the trailer, and Salinas warned, “Be careful, they are aggressive,” before voluntarily opening the side hatch.
Upon inspection, troopers discovered 27 individuals crammed into the trailer’s storage area, visibly distressed and sweating profusely. The trooper asked the immigrants if they needed water, and officials reported that three females were severely dehydrated and required medical attention due to extreme heat and lack of ventilation.
The individuals, all from Mexico, were referred to the U.S. Border Patrol. Salinas was taken into custody by USBP and will face federal charges for smuggling persons.
