Two Vans Carrying 26 Chinese Migrants Stopped in Florida; Two Smugglers Arrested
Authorities suspect migrants arrived by boat, as investigation into human smuggling operation unfolds.
An investigation is underway in Coral Gables, Florida, after law enforcement intercepted two vans transporting 26 Chinese migrants early Tuesday morning. The migrants—17 men and 9 women—were being moved to an undisclosed location when police received a tip and took action.
Coral Gables police were alerted just after 8 a.m. about a possible migrant transport operation. Officers stopped the first van near 88th Street and Old Cutler Road and the second van at 11600 Old Cutler Road. The migrants were reportedly smuggled into the area via boat, with police suspecting they arrived through a secluded region at the southern end of Coral Gables.
“We believe they came by boat into a secluded area around the southern part of the city,” said Police Chief Ed Hudak.
Two individuals, a Cuban and a Puerto Rican, were arrested on charges of human smuggling, and authorities recovered a firearm during the stop. Aerial footage from NBC South Florida showed officers detaining several individuals and escorting them to a city trolley.
The operation involved multiple law enforcement agencies, including U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), and Homeland Security Investigations, which has taken over the case.
“There is no place for human smuggling in Coral Gables or Florida,” said John Vecchio, the FDLE's special agent in charge in Miami. “We will continue to target illegal immigration with the help of our state and local partners.”
This latest incident follows a similar human smuggling operation in Coral Gables earlier this month, in which more than two dozen people were arrested. Authorities believe the smugglers are using a canal that leads to a private marina as a point of entry.
“These individuals likely came ashore in the same area,” Hudak explained. “The two vans went in separate directions, and while I can’t confirm they are connected, the circumstances appear strikingly similar to the earlier incident.”
The investigation into the smuggling operation remains ongoing as authorities work to identify the full extent of the criminal network involved.