Deputies break up human smuggling operation in Southwest Bexar County

SAN ANTONIO (KTSA News) — The Bexar County Sheriff’s Office has arrested 9 people believed to be connected to a human smuggling operation.

The arrests were made at a home on Briggs Road in Southwest Bexar County.

Sheriff Javier Salazar says they had been watching the home for a couple of weeks after reports of vehicle chases, gun battles and evidence of organized crime.

Deputies closed in on the residence Thursday afternoon as a number of vehicles were leaving the scene.

They discovered that the home was being used as a stash house for human smuggling.

Sheriff Salazar says they found several stolen vehicles that were being gutted and used for smuggling along with $60,000 in cash.

While they did find evidence that drugs were smuggled from the home, no actual drugs have been located during the initial search of the property.

“There was a pretty sizable alter to Santa Muerte, what is considered to be the patron saint of drug smugglers. That pretty much tells us there that this was not just a human smuggling operation, this was a drug smuggling operation as well, with ties to organized crime.”

9 people were arrested for trafficking another 15, believed to be victims, were detained.

The Sheriff says they all seemed to be in good health and it’s likely they were about to be smuggled North.

Some vehicles did manage to get away as the Deputies arrived and have not been located.

The investigation continues.