Honduran Woman Claims She Was Kidnapped by Smuggler

DEL RIO, Texas – U.S. Border Patrol agents from the Eagle Pass Station arrested a group of illegal aliens near Eagle Pass, Texas.  A Honduran female in the group stated she was kidnapped in Mexico before entering the United States.

“Smugglers have no regard for human dignity or safety in the pursuit of profits,” said Del Rio Sector Acting Chief Patrol Agent Matthew J. Hudak. “The Border Patrol asks people not to put their lives in danger by making this journey.”

On Feb. 20, at approximately 1 p.m., Eagle Pass Station Border Patrol agents arrested a Honduran woman shortly after she made an illegal entry by crossing the Rio Grande River. During initial processing, the woman claimed to have been kidnapped while in Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico and held against her will at a stash house. The woman was told she was to be held captive until her family met the smuggler’s ransom demands. After three days, she was able to escape and eventually traveled to Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico, where she made her illegal entry into the United States.

She will be processed per CBP Guidelines. Notifications were made to the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, the Government of Mexico, as well as the Honduran consulate regarding the alleged kidnapping.

The Del Rio Border Patrol Sector is part of the Joint Task Force-West South Texas Corridor, which leverages federal, state and local resources to combat transnational criminal organizations. To report suspicious activity call the Del Rio Sector’s toll-free number at 1-866-511-8727.