Twelve undocumented immigrants found near US-Mexico border jammed into SUV painted to look like a Border Patrol vehicle

  • Fake Border Patrol Chevy Tahoe stopped on highway near Laredo, Texas
  • Real border agent thought something was suspicious about the SUV and discovered twelve people crammed into the car heading north from border
  • Unlike real Border Patrol SUVs, the fake one had a low bumper and did not have lights mounted on top

By Christopher Brennan For Dailymail.com

Published: 20:24 EST, 12 December 2015 | Updated: 21:18 EST, 12 December 2015

Twelve undocumented immigrants were found near the US-Mexico border jammed into a fake Border Patrol SUV.

Real border patrol officers from a Laredo, Texas, station stopped the vehicle heading north on Interstate 35 after an agent thought that something was unusual with the cloned Chevy Tahoe.

Border Patrol agents then arrested a man trying to smuggle the immigrants into the United States.

Border Patrol agents arrested a smuggler after he tried to bring 12 undocumented immigrants into the country in an SUV painted to look like an official vehicle. Above, the immigrants jammed into the back of the SUV

Border Patrol agents arrested a smuggler after he tried to bring 12 undocumented immigrants into the country in an SUV painted to look like an official vehicle. Above, the immigrants jammed into the back of the SUV

'As we continue to monitor security along the border and in adjacent communities, smugglers have resorted to desperate measures to conduct their illicit business,' Laredo Sector Border Patrol Chief Mario Martinez said in a statement.

'The training, attention to detail and vigilance of our Border Patrol agents halted this human smuggling attempt'.

A photo released by the Border Patrol shows the Tahoe painted to look like the standard vehicle used by agents, however the fake car did not have a set of lights mounted on top.

The Border Patrol's Omar Zamora told KRGV that the SUVs used by real agents do not have the running board along the side or the low bumper seen on the fake car, because they are designed to go off-road.

Officers stopped the Chevy Tahoe cloned to look like a Border Patrol SUV after noticing that something was suspicious about it

Officers stopped the Chevy Tahoe cloned to look like a Border Patrol SUV after noticing that something was suspicious about it

The fake vehicle had a different bumper than the SUVs used by border agents and also did not have lights on top. Above, a real Border Patrol Chevy Tahoe

The fake vehicle had a different bumper than the SUVs used by border agents and also did not have lights on top. Above, a real Border Patrol Chevy Tahoe

It appeared that seats in the vehicle had also been taken out to fit the large number of people inside. 

He said that smugglers often use vehicles made up to look like delivery service trucks, but he had never seen a fake Border Patrol SUV until Thursday's incident.

The area around Laredo, in Texas's southern tip, regularly sees smugglers busted after accepting money to take immigrants across the border.

Vehicles such as fake Halliburton trucks have also been used to smuggle drugs into the country, according to Zamora.

An investigation into the cloned Border Patrol Tahoe is ongoing. 

A Border Patrol agent said that cars made up to look like delivery service vehicles are often used by smugglers. Above, cars go through a border crossing between Laredo, Texas, and Nuevo Laredo in Mexico

A Border Patrol agent said that cars made up to look like delivery service vehicles are often used by smugglers. Above, cars go through a border crossing between Laredo, Texas, and Nuevo Laredo in Mexico

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