SAN ANTONIO – Three individuals are in custody and have been charged in connection with a human smuggling operation on the city’s South Side on Tuesday afternoon.
Just after 6 a.m., Bexar County Sheriff’s deputies made a traffic stop not far from a home located in the 400 block of Pyron, said Deputy Johnny Garcia, a BCSO spokesman.
During the stop, deputies detained Jorge Armando Morado Moreno, 23, after finding a kilo of cocaine in the vehicle.
The estimated street value of the recovered cocaine is believed to be worth $40,000.
Jorge Armando Morado, 42, who was following Moreno’s vehicle, was also detained.
As their investigation continued, BCSO made their way to the home across the street from Harlandale High School and applied for a search warrant, Garcia said.
Deputies executed the search warrant and found five migrants inside a two-story home.
There were four males and one female inside the residence, all from Mexico. Their ages ranged from 20-40 years old.
None of the victims displayed any severe injuries but were thirsty and given water, according to Garcia.
Jorge Armando Morado, 42, and Rosa Elena Moreno Rodriguez, 43, admitted to owning the home and were taken into custody, a BCSO Facebook post said.
As investigators searched the property, they found approximately $601,500 in cash and a stolen Ford F-350 pickup.
Several agencies assisted investigators in removing the migrants from the home.
Moreno’s bond is currently set at $225,000.
Morado’s charges include theft and the operation of a stash house, among others. His bond is set at $370,000.
Rodriguez’s charges include money laundering and the operation of a stash house, among others. Her bond is set at $285,000.
Both Moreno and Morado are charged with possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance.
All three suspects are facing charges of human smuggling and engaging in criminal activity.