Two suspected human smugglers were arrested Thursday in Fabens, Texas, following a pursuit that reached speeds of 100 mph and concluded with an alleged armed carjacking. The incident involved multiple law enforcement agencies, including U.S. Customs and Border Protection's Air and Marine Operations (AMO), the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
The pursuit began along Interstate 10, with helicopter video capturing the high-speed chase. Authorities deployed a spike strip, which appeared to disable the suspects' vehicle, causing it to slow down. At this point, both occupants exited the vehicle and fled on foot.
One suspect was quickly apprehended by a DPS officer. The second suspect allegedly carjacked a civilian at gunpoint before also being taken into custody. The exact location of the carjacking was near a Speedway gas station around 9:16 a.m.
Information regarding the number of individuals allegedly being smuggled or their nationalities has not been released. CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott praised the inter-agency coordination in a social media post, stating, "Suspected human smugglers risk lives for profit. We will keep taking them down."
The apprehended individuals are expected to face charges related to human smuggling and evading arrest or detention.