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Texas DPS agents discover more than 50 undocumented immigrants in storage container near border

The container was found in a junkyard in Webb County.

WEBB COUNTY, Texas — Special agents with the Texas Department of Public Safety discovered approximately 50 people identified as undocumented immigrants in a shipping container near the Texas-Mexico border on Monday.

According to Texas DPS South Texas Region, officials with the DPS Criminal Investigations Division found a semi-trailer suspected of concealing immigrants at a junkyard on State Highway 359 in Webb County on the night of Nov. 28.

As special agents approached the trailer, several individuals ran away and five of them were apprehended, DPS stated. Upon searching the property, agents discovered approximately 50 others inside a Conex container. 

Among those inside were 35 men, 10 women and seven juveniles from Mexico, Guatemala and El Salvador. DPS said all of them were referred to the United States Border Patrol. 

Further investigation revealed the semi-trailer had been reported stolen by the Laredo Police Department. 

This latest incident comes nearly six months after 53 people died of heat-related illness in a semi-truck in San Antonio. Victims were identified as citizens of Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador. It is considered the deadliest human-smuggling event in U.S. history.

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