U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) says that they are cracking down on truckers who smuggle humans or drugs with stiff penalties.
CBP said that they are working with the Texas Department of Public Safety to enforce the “Texas Hold ‘Em” initiative as the number of human and drug smuggling attempts continue to rise.
Under the Texas Hold’Em initiative, a CDL holder who is convicted of alien, or narcotic, smuggling can be disqualified from holding a CDL for the rest of their lives.
CBP said that the first lifetime CDL disqualification of 2020 has already been issued:
On March 16, 2020, agents working at the Falfurrias Border Patrol Checkpoint arrested a commercial driver after agents discovered six illegal aliens hidden inside the cabin of his tractor. The case was presented in a U.S. District Court where the driver, Ivan Garza, pled guilty to the offense and received five months confinement and will be on supervised release upon completion of his sentence. As a result of his conviction, DS will revoke Garza’s CDL for life.
Other penalties can include prison, a $250,000 fine, or even the death penalty.
