Bexar County, Texas — The Bexar County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) has arrested 30-year-old Abelardo Herrera, a suspect allegedly involved in multiple human smuggling operations.
Following an extensive investigation by BCSO’s Human Exploitation Unit, Herrera was apprehended on Wednesday. Authorities say Herrera organized the illegal transportation of migrants throughout Texas. During the investigation, officers discovered 16 smuggled migrants at Herrera’s residence on Valero Court in Laredo. They were found inside three vehicles and a nearby shed.
Further investigations revealed that Herrera had been linked to a previous human smuggling operation. Just a week earlier, 12 migrants had been arrested on Fisher Road and IH-35 South. Additionally, in June 2024, Herrera was connected to an operation in which 24 migrants were discovered hidden in a compartment of a flatbed trailer.
Herrera is believed to have directly smuggled 52 migrants and is facing multiple criminal charges, including 10 counts of Continuous Smuggling of Persons, 2 counts of Smuggling Persons under 18, and federal charges related to his smuggling activities.
He is currently in custody in Webb County, Texas, awaiting extradition to Bexar County where he will face the charges.