A Houston resident, Silvia Patricia Santamaria, aged 43, was apprehended by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) after it was found that she was transporting 25 undocumented immigrants in the cargo area of her box truck. The discovery occurred on Wednesday morning along Interstate 37 in George West, Texas, following a report from a concerned citizen about a minor crash in a truck stop parking lot.
Upon interacting with Santamaria, DPS troopers noted discrepancies in her travel story, which led them to seek permission to search the vehicle. With assistance from local police, they uncovered a cramped corner in the truck where the immigrants were concealed behind 30 mattresses and within a crawl space, with no ventilation available.
The group included 12 males, 12 females, and one child, hailing from various countries including Mexico, Guatemala, and Venezuela. After their rescue, all individuals received medical evaluations and were subsequently handed over to the U.S. Border Patrol. This incident highlights ongoing concerns over human smuggling in Texas, reminiscent of previous tragedies involving migrant transportation.
Source: www.foxnews.com
