By Breyana Segura
A Houston man is behind bars in the La Salle County Jail on felony charges after a failed human smuggling attempt on Monday, November 14.
Encinal police say seven migrants were found stacked on top of each other inside a Toyota Tundra after a routine traffic stop was conducted shortly before 9 p.m. Monday evening.
The driver, 58-year-old Tomas Alfonso Montano, was traveling north on IH-35 near Milemarker 45 when officers conducted the traffic stop. The undocumented immigrants were turned over to US Border Patrol agents from Laredo who arrived at the scene to help officers.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott noted in a press release on Nov. 4 that since the launch of Operation Lone Star, multi-agency efforts have led to over 321,000 migrant apprehensions and more than 21,400 criminal arrests with more than 18,900 felony charges reported.
Abbott also reported that state troopers have seized over 350 million doses of the prescription drug fentanyl during the border mission.
At the Encinal Police Department, officers report they are on constant alert for criminal traffic through the southern portion of La Salle County.
“We will continue to be vigilant in an effort to deter crime and protect the citizens of our community,” Police Lt. Angel Esparza said.
