Coral Gables reported abduction leads to discovery of 21 migrants in U-Haul truck
MIAMI - Coral Gables Police Chief Edward James Hudak Jr. announced Friday that 21 migrants, including predominantly Chinese nationals plus one Ecuadorean and a Cuban, were discovered in a U-Haul truck following an alleged abduction and human smuggling operation.
Hudak said that around 9:35 a.m., a security guard for a homeowners association observed what appeared to be an abduction on Old Cutler Road.
The police chief said the alert guard reported seeing a Toyota vehicle and a U-Haul truck involved in the incident and immediately alerted a patrol officer.
"The officer took swift action, issuing a BOLO (be on the lookout) alert to notify other officers," Hudak said.
Police then spotted and stopped both the Toyota and the U-Haul.
A woman observed during the alleged abduction was safely removed from the vehicle and officers investigated the contents of the U-Haul.
"Officers opened the back of the truck and found 21 individuals inside, predominantly Chinese nationals, along with Ecuadorian and Cuban nationals," Hudak said.
Identification documents and electronic devices were also discovered in the truck.
Hudack said they believe the migrants may have arrived by water before being loaded into the U-Haul at a location in southern Coral Gables.
"Whether the woman was trying to escape the individuals who brought her here is still under investigation," Hudak said.
The Coral Gables Fire Department ensured all individuals in the truck were medically evaluated and cleared at the scene.
"This was not intelligence-driven. It started as a citizen's report of a crime and I believe lives may have been saved because of that alert individual," Hudak said.
The migrants were taken into custody, with those suspected of being in the country illegally transferred to Border Patrol for processing.
Authorities are continuing to investigate the smuggling operation.