Border Patrol Finds 55 Migrants Hidden Behind False Wall In Produce Truck In Texas

Federal authorities say a truck stop in southern Texas led to the discovery of a hidden compartment packed with 55 migrants, including three alleged children, inside a produce trailer.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection said Border Patrol agents stopped a box truck near San Ygnacio on Sept. 19 and the driver, 43-year-old Brandon Lajohn Hargrove of Houston, allegedly claimed he was hauling produce. During inspection, agents observed 21-year-old Jose Luis Castellanos-Hercules, a Honduran national illegally present in the U.S., inside the trailer.

A more thorough search revealed a concealed compartment holding 55 people from Guatemala, Mexico, Venezuela, Honduras, El Salvador, China, India, Colombia, and Ecuador.

Authorities allege the migrants had to crawl through a small access door behind a false wall to exit the compartment. Multiple heavy pallets blocked the door, which officials say left the group at serious risk in case of an accident. Investigators believe Hargrove picked up the group from a stash house in Mission, Texas, already known to law enforcement for smuggling activity.

“This case highlights the ruthless tactics smugglers use — treating human beings as cargo, with total disregard for their safety,” said CBP Senior Advisor Ronald D. Vitiello. “Our agents vigilance saved 55 people, including alleged minors, from a potentially deadly situation. CBP will continue to dismantle smuggling networks and bring perpetrators to justice. Smugglers need to know that our border is closed, and we will stop you.”

Hargrove and Castellanos-Hercules have been taken into federal custody. If convicted, both face up to 10 years in federal prison and fines of up to $250,000. Several of the migrants are also facing charges of illegal entry and reentry.