Two suspects, 6 victims in custody after discovery of suspected human smuggling operation

Victims were found in a trailer home in the 7000 block of Buffalo Trail on Northwest Side

SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio police who were called to perform a welfare check Monday morning uncovered what they believe to be a human smuggling operation on the city’s Northwest Side.

Officers were called to the 7000 block of Buffalo Trail after receiving a call that someone was being held against their will.

“The call came in from a third party, a woman called stating that her friend called her, saying that she was being held against her will. She didn’t have too many details as to where, just the location,” said SAPD Sgt. Washington Moscoso.

As officers were questioning a man at the scene, six people exited a trailer home and said they were being detained against their will by armed individuals. The six victims spoke Spanish and told officers they were from Honduras and awaiting a payments from their families.

“They said they’ve been here at least a couple of days. We’re getting some water, we’re getting them some food. But they they did let us know that they were being detained against their will by armed individuals,” said Moscoso.

The victims and suspects were taken to Homeland Security offices for further investigation. Police are looking for a third person who fled the area in a black vehicle.

SAPD officers attempted to pull that driver over near the scene but the driver did not stop but continued to the 6400 block of Huebner Road where he got out of the car and ran away.

The company that manages the trailer park where the home is located, RHP Properties North Valley, did not respond to KSAT’s requests for a statement.

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About the Authors:

Julie Moreno has worked in local television news for more than 25 years. She came to KSAT as a news producer in 2000. After producing thousands of newscasts, she transitioned to the digital team in 2015. She writes on a wide variety of topics from breaking news to trending stories and manages KSAT’s daily digital content strategy.

Emmy-award winning reporter Dillon Collier joined KSAT Investigates in September 2016. Dillon's investigative stories air weeknights on the Nightbeat and on the Six O'Clock News. Dillon is a two-time Houston Press Club Journalist of the Year and a Texas Associated Press Broadcasters Reporter of the Year.