OAN Staff Abril Elfi
9:30 AM – Saturday, January 18, 2025
Over 30 migrants, most of them Chinese, have been found inside a U-Haul truck in Florida following a report of an alleged abduction.
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Coral Gables Police Chief Edward James Hudak Jr. stated that the group of migrants were discovered after a security guard for a homeowners association in Coral Gables reported seeing an abduction around 9:35 a.m.
According to Hudak, the guard had reported seeing a U-Haul and a Toyota involved in the incident and immediately reported it to a patrol officer who then issued a be on the lookout alert for the vehicles.
Police stated that officers stopped the vehicles and the woman who had been allegedly abducted was taken from the Toyota. When they began investigating the U-Haul truck, they found 16 Chinese females, 15 Chinese males, one Cuban male and one Ecuadorian female.
“Officers opened the back of the truck, which revealed 21 predominantly Chinese nationals,” Hudak said.
In addition to the migrants in the U-Haul truck, authorities found a Cuban man, a Brazilian woman and a man from Ecuador in the Toyota.
“We do believe these individuals were brought here by the water,” the chief said. “They were probably dropped off, we’re assuming somewhere around the southern end of Coral Gables and approached on foot to the van where they were loaded into.”
According to authorities, the migrants were “tired” but in good health when the Coral Gables Fire Department arrived to provide medical attention.
“Today’s event is a prime example of why FDLE is supportive of the governor’s proposed special session to tackle illegal immigration immediately,” Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Mark Glass said. “The actions of law enforcement are an integral part in preventing these smuggling ventures that happen too frequently on our southern border.”
The migrants were then handed over to the U.S. Border Patrol, and four others were taken into police custody related to the incident.
“This started off as a crime,” Hudak said. “The police department responded to that alleged crime by a very alert citizen. By that, I mean I think we’ve saved some lives.”
Authorities stated they have not identified the boat on which the migrants were transported, although they have intercepted a number of boats while patrolling the waterways close to the city.
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