FALFURRIAS, Texas – Border Patrol agents working at the Falfurrias checkpoint found a man hiding in a suitcase on Tuesday.
The Chevrolet Tahoe he was riding in was attempting to carry four visible occupants through the checkpoint on Highway 281 North in Falfurrias and was pulled aside for a secondary inspection.
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During the inspection, the agents found the man in the fetal position in the closed suitcase. Another man was found hiding under a pile of blankets and clothing in the cargo area of the Tahoe.
“Due to the success of our agents in detecting and apprehending people attempting to illegally enter the United States, smugglers are becoming more desperate in the methods they use,” Acting Chief Patrol Agent Raul L. Ortiz said in a statement. “Fortunately, in this case no one was injured, but oftentimes smugglers put immigrants’ lives at risk with no regard for their safety.”
One of the visible occupants of the SUV admitted to being in the U.S. illegally, Border Patrol said. The two men found hiding and the admitted undocumented immigrant are Mexican citizens and will be returned to Mexico.
The driver of the Tahoe and the two other passengers are American citizens and were arrested and referred for prosecution, Border Patrol said.