EL PASO, Texas – Gangs might be using rideshare apps to help smuggle people into the country, according to officials.
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What we know:
Agents with the El Paso sector of the U.S. Border Patrol said the criminal organizations appear to be using legitimate apps to shield themselves from law enforcement. They often use third-party accounts to arrange pickups in secluded locations, remote highways near the border wall or some commercial parking lots.
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What they’re saying:
“Cartel criminal smugglers recklessly endanger the lives of rideshare drivers and passengers alike, treating legitimate drivers as disposable tools for their smuggling operations,” said El Paso Sector Chief Patrol Agent Jesse D. Munoz. “When these trips are intercepted, drivers face immediate detention and asset forfeiture while federal agents investigate their level of involvement in the smuggling network.”
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What you can do:
Border Patrol said rideshare drivers should watch for passengers wearing heavily soiled clothes, bookings that exceed vehicle occupancy limits or passengers who appear stressed and unaware of their location.
Drivers could be charged with felony charges of alien smuggling and harboring if convicted of participating in the smuggling network, according to Border Patrol.
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