2 smugglers detained after police intercept vans transporting 26 Chinese migrants
By Tynisa Senior, Jordan Segundo
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CORAL GABLES, Florida (WSVN) — Coral Gables Police detained two smugglers after they were found transporting 26 Chinese migrants in the back of two separate vans in a Coral Gables neighborhood.
Police said they received a 911 call about two vans possibly transporting migrants.
Authorities followed up on the tip and intercepted the van traveling along Old Cutler Road and Kendall Drive around 8a.m., Tuesday.
At this time, it remains unclear where the migrants were traveling to.
7Skyforce hovered above the scene, where police cruisers blocked the white van that was transporting the migrants.
Several people could be seen sitting on the side of the road. Authorities later patted down and loaded the migrants onto county trolleys and transported them to an undisclosed location.
Police said two smugglers were detained in this incident.
Two weeks ago, 23 Chinese migrants were discovered in a U-Haul van along LeJeune Road near Ridgewood Road, also in Coral Gables.
Detectives said a security guard tipped off authorities, saying there was a possible kidnapping in the area.
The occupants of the van were migrants from China, Ecuador and Brazil, who recently arrived in the U.S. by boat from the Bahamas.
In that incident, three men were arrested and accused of transporting undocumented migrants within the U.S.
According to court documents, it was determined that the individuals were apart of an alleged smuggling operation and received payment to transport the migrants.
Authorities have stated whether or not the two separate instances are connected.
As for Tuesday’s police scene, the roads in the area of Old Cutler and Red Road were shut down but have since reopened.
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