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Category: Front Page News Front Page News
Published: 26 May 2023 26 May 2023

By Roger Lanse

A Grant County Sheriff’s Office deputy received a call from an Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office deputy at 11:19 p.m. on Tuesday, May 16, 2023, in reference to a vehicle travelling east (north) on Highway 90 possibly carrying undocumented non-US citizens. The HCSO deputy described the vehicle as a black GMC Yukon. 

According to a GCSO offense report, deputies intercepted the black GMC  going east on Highway 90 by Calvary Chapel. They also observed a silver-colored Scion stop in the middle of the roadway. When the deputies made contact with the driver of the Scion, he identified himself as a Border Patrol agent. The BP agent advised deputies that in addition to the black GMC, a white GMC was also travelling east on Highway 90 and was behind him. While speaking to the BP agent, the white GMC passed them and deputies began following that vehicle, the report said.

Deputies followed the white GMC as it turned left onto Truck Bypass Road and again turning left onto Highway 180 headed west.

As the vehicle was unable to maintain its speed and at times exceeded the speed limit, deputies made a traffic stop at MM 109, about 1 mile west of the Truck Bypass junction. The report stated the driver said he could not speak English and appeared to be very nervous and was sweating profusely. The driver and four female and five male occupants were placed in investigative detention and seated safely on the ground.

According to the report, the driver of the white GMC stated all 10 subjects had illegally crossed into the U.S. through El Paso, were given instructions found inside the vehicle, and were on their way to Albuquerque. 

Meanwhile, other deputies were following the black GMC east (north) on Highway 90, which also turned left onto Truck Bypass Road and then left on Highway 180 headed west. As it was exceeding the speed limit, deputies conducted a traffic stop on this vehicle near MM 110 of Highway 180 (junction of Truck Bypass). These occupants told the deputies they were all undocumented persons – the driver showing a Chihuahua, MX ID.

The report said both groups of undocumented persons were gathered at the white GMC traffic stop’s location and deputies contacted the Las Cruces Border Patrol station. Two BP agents were dispatched from Deming and took custody of all 18 occupants, who were detained at the two traffic stops, and their belongings, transporting them to the Deming BP office. Both vehicles were towed by local tow companies.