Eight rescued, including toddler, in South Side smuggling raid
Authorities rescued eight people and arrested three after a stash house was raided by Bexar County deputies Thursday on the South Side.
Cesar Mosivais Vanegas and Ramiro Herrera Martinez, both 23, and Raul Rodriguez, 19, are each charged with human smuggling and engaging in organized criminal activity. Vanegas also is charged with engaging in organized criminal activity.
Francisco Valdez Carmona, 59, was identified among the undocumented immigrants as wanted in Mexico and taken into custody. He had a 2009 warrant out of Mexico City for homicide and a warrant for kidnapping out of Queretaro in Central Mexico.
Neighbors had told deputies they suspected people were being smuggled out of a home in the 1400 block of West Southcross Boulevard.
Deputies set up surveillance on the home Thursday morning and saw two vehicles leaving. They pulled the drivers over, found evidence of human smuggling and rescued five people.
Three people pulled over in the traffic stops could face charges in connection with the smuggling operation, Sheriff Javier Salazar said. Deputies then surrounded the home and called for the occupants to come out. When no one responded, deputies went inside.
They found three people, including a 2-year-old boy. He has since been released to his mother, Salazar said in an update Friday. There may be additional charges in the case.
Some of the eight rescued complained of body aches and other injuries. They were checked out by EMS before they were taken to the sheriff’s office headquarters for further interviews. The oldest among them was Carmona.
“There are possibly some signs that they’ve been mistreated,” Salazar said. “We’re happy that most of them appear to be in good health.”
The sheriff said investigators were still sorting out if there was another smuggler, called a coyote, found inside the house claiming to be a victim.
“It’s not uncommon in operations like this for the coyotes to dress just like the people that we’re considering victims,” Salazar said. “They know what injuries people are going to face on a trip like this.”
Coyotes often claim blisters on their feet as well, the sheriff said, and the victims are afraid to out their captors, who are often part of a criminal organization.
Many of the immigrants said they walked a great distance. It was not immediately known what country they were from, Salazar said.
The house was in bad condition. Discarded food and groceries were strewn about the kitchen in a video shared by the sheriff’s office. A landlord told deputies he thought he was leasing the home to a family.
Anyone who suspects trafficking or other crimes such as prostitution or illegal gambling in their neighborhood can call the sheriff’s office at 210-335-6000 and leave a tip with the organized crime unit or email gang@bexar.org.