Border Patrol Agents Rescue Six Undocumented Immigrants from Fuel Tank

Del Rio, Texas – On Friday, Border Patrol agents rescued six undocumented immigrants after they attempted to illegally further their entry into the United States near Eagle Pass.

In the early morning hours on Friday, Eagle Pass South Station agents encountered a 2007 Dodge flatbed pickup truck at an immigration checkpoint located on Farm Road 2644. During inspection a Border Patrol canine alerted agents to the cargo area of the vehicle. Agents transported the vehicle to the Eagle Pass Port of Entry for inspection by a non-intrusive imaging system.

A scan of the vehicle revealed an image of several human bodies hidden in the diesel auxiliary tank. Emergency Medical Services were immediately contacted and placed on standby for the medical evaluation of the individuals upon extraction. Custom and Border Protection officers deployed a forklift to remove the auxiliary tank from the bed of the truck. Once the tank was raised, six men – ranging in age from 19 to 50 – were discovered.  The subjects appeared disoriented and were sweating profusely. Medical personnel evaluated the subjects at the scene.

The driver, a 52-year-old San Antonio man, was turned over to Homeland Security Investigations for prosecution of 8 USC § 1324 – Alien Smuggling. The six subjects hidden inside the pickup – three from Mexico, two from El Salvador and one from Guatemala – were transported to the Eagle Pass South Border Patrol Station and processed according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection policy.

“All of our agents are trained in basic first aid and utilize these skills in their everyday duties,” said Rodolfo Karisch, Chief Patrol Agent, Del Rio Sector. “This incident highlights the dangers of attempting to enter the United States illegally.”

Del Rio Border Patrol Sector is an integral part of the South Texas Safety Initiative and the South Texas Campaign, which leverages federal, state and local resources to combat transnational criminal organizations. To report suspicious activity call the Del Rio Sector’s toll free number at 1-866-511-8727.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation’s borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.