MCSO involved in big smuggling bustFree Access


The McMullen County Sheriff’s Office worked until the early hours Sunday morning until border patrol arrived on the scene. McMullen COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE | COURTESY PHOTO

During the late hours of the weekend, McMullen County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop on a U-haul box truck driving on Highway 16 just outside of Tilden. Upon investigation, it was discovered that the driver, a 36 year old male from Nebraska was smuggling 34 undocumented immigrants.
With the temperature exceeding 100 degrees, deputies noticed a small hole torn in the roof of the truck by the immigrants looking for ventilation and a possible escape.
MCSO and the Freer Border Patrol station teamed up in the effort. Once the truck was transported to the waystation, MCSO waited till enough people arrived on the scene to fully open the truck and turn the individuals over to border patrol.
“We opened it up a little bit so they could get some air and handed them water,” McMullen County Sheriff Emmett Shelton said. “Then when the border patrol got there in the morning, we started taking them out in process.”
The whole process went on overnight. Shelton credited Deputy John Cozad with his work during the traffic stop and the department’s handling of the situation.
“It was a team effort between McMullen County Sheriff’s Office and the Freer Border Patrol station which we work very well with,” Shelton said.
The driver was arrested and charged with Smuggling of Persons.

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