Border Patrol: Fake FedEx vans used to smuggle migrants in El Paso
EL PASO, Texas (KFOX) — Vans that were made to look like real FedEx vehicles were used to smuggle migrants in El Paso, Texas Friday, U.S. Customs and Border Protection confirmed Wednesday.
Border Patrol agents from the Santa Teresa Station Anti-Smuggling Unit in New Mexico asked the Texas Department of Public Safety to help investigate three vehicles suspected of smuggling migrants.
Agents said they received credible information regarding a suspected smuggling scheme involving fake FedEx vehicles.
Officials stopped three "suspicious" vehicles, two of which were identical to white FedEx vans. Agents found 26 migrants and arrested four smugglers.
KFOX14 spoke with Border Patrol Agent Sean Coffey and he said this activity is common.
"This tactic has been used before by smugglers, the transnational criminal organizations come up with different ways to try defeat the Border Patrol's intelligence," Coffey said.
At least one of the fake FedEx vans was pulled over on Upper Valley Road near Artcraft Road, Border Patrol confirmed.
"We haven't seen a FedEx vehicle in some time, we do see other types of vehicles like construction vehicles, other vehicles they put a sticker that looks like a company vehicle," Coffey said.
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The smuggled migrants were all from Mexico and Guatemala. They were in good health and were processed accordingly, CBP said.
The four smugglers, two from the U.S. and two from Mexico, were charged with the smuggling scheme.
El Paso Sector Border Patrol Agents continue to successfully disrupt smuggling schemes and the illegal operations of the Transnational Criminal Organizations,” said El Paso Sector Chief Patrol Agent Anthony Scott Good. “I am grateful for our law enforcement partnerships at the state, local and federal levels. This alliance is successfully disrupting dangerous criminal organizations, their leadership, and their human smuggling schemes.
El Paso Sector encounters year to date have reached 307,463. This includes the discovery of 203 stash houses containing 2,871 migrants illegally present in the U.S.
For the month of June, the El Paso Sector has averaged 435 daily migrant encounters.
"What we are seeing is an increase in immigrants who are trying to evade apprehension as opposed to turning themselves in," Coffey said.
Border Patrol said while illegal crossings are down smuggling attempts have gone up.
Meaning some people actually make it across the border as these migrants did in the fake FedEx vans before they got caught.
"The smuggling is going to become more aggressive as they're attempting to evade the Border Patrol and get further into the country," Coffey said.
People can report suspicious activity to the U.S. Border Patrol while remaining anonymous by calling 1-800-635-2509.
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