KINNEY COUNTY, Texas – The Texas Department of Public Safety found 17 migrants hidden in a fake Lowe’s Home Improvement store truck. Texas DPS South video shows the moment those 13 men and 4 women were found.
DPS South calls it a “cloned truck” because it’s made to look like a commercial vehicle on the outside with adjustments made on the inside to transport and conceal people.
“When the trooper made contact with the driver, the trooper noticed there were some discrepancies with the driver, with the truck itself,” Lieutenant Christopher Olivarez said. “After, a search of the truck revealed that there was a false compartment within the cargo area of the truck. … When the trooper was able to inspect that compartment, there was no air circulation.”
No one died in this incident, but multiple people were treated for dehydration.
“I can tell you for certain that trooper prevented a mass casualty smuggling event,” Olivarez said.
Olivarez mentioned that troopers are doing what they can to patrol highways to prevent an incident like San Antonio had in 2022 when 53 migrants died in the back of a trailer.
The driver was 28-year-old Megel Patterson from Jackson, Mississippi. Patterson is charged with human smuggling causing serious bodily injury.
This also is not the first time a “cloned vehicle” has been used in a human smuggling operation, in fact, it wasn’t even the only incident in August 2024.
“[On August 12,] we actually assisted U.S. Border Patrol in Carrizo Springs with a Safelite truck that was also cloned,” Olivarez said. “It’s very dangerous when anybody is involved in human smuggling. There [are] consequences not only at the criminal side but also if someone does die while someone is smuggling someone, you’re looking at a lifelong consequence, prison time.”
The people found on Friday, August 30, have been sent to U.S. Border Patrol, according to Olivarez.