Texas State border patrol agents and the Department of Public Safety troopers encountered a 4-year-old boy and his mother among a large group of illegal immigrants caught smuggling $93,000 worth of marijuana into the United States, border authorities revealed this week.
Authorities apprehended the group on Tuesday near Roma, just after midnight, officials at Customs and Border Protection announced in a statement on Thursday.
In the statement, officials said they arrived at the location and spotted several people being loaded into a vehicle in an area commonly used to pick up migrants and narcotics.
The migrants attempted to flee as agents approached. Thirteen illegal immigrants were busted, including the 4-year-old boy and his mom, who came to the U.S from Guatemala. Ultimately, officials seized two bundles of marijuana that weighed a total of 116 pounds and were valued at more than $93,000.
The other busted illegal immigrants came from Mexico, Central America, and the Dominican Republic, according to CBP. However, it wasn’t clear whether the boy and his mother had any relatives among the other members of the group.
Border officials have busted hundreds of illegal immigrants in recent days, including two groups totaling 355 people in Starr County, Texas, early Thursday.
A third bus full of illegal immigrants arrived in Washington, DC, from Texas on Friday morning.
