Box truck poses as Lowe’s rig while smuggling migrants

Officers discovered 17 migrants hidden inside of a box truck outfitted to look like a Lowe’s Home Improvement truck in Texas on Friday. 

The 13 men and 4 women were found inside of the truck on Friday, August 30th in Kinney County, Texas. 

“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.”

Once removed from the truck, several of the migrants were treated for dehydration. Troopers have described the truck as “cloned,” and say it was outfitted to look like a Lowe’s rig, but was not affiliated with the company, reported KSAT.

“I can tell you for certain that troopers prevented a mass casualty smuggling event,” Olivarez said to… 

“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 28-year-old truck driver, Megel Patterson of Jackson, Mississippi has been charged with human smuggling causing serious bodily injury.