42 People Found Inside Truck Trailer

Border Patrol agents found 42 people hiding inside a sealed truck trailer on Interstate 25 in New Mexico.

The U.S. Department of Justice announced the case on October 30, 2026.

Agents stopped a semi-truck traveling north on I-25 near Las Cruces.

The driver was identified as Miguel Malo Poggio.

During the inspection, agents reportedly found a black backpack containing several cell phones inside the truck's cab.

According to court documents, the driver gave officers keys to the cargo trailer, which was secured with a red security seal.

Inside, agents discovered 42 people, including three children traveling without adults.

They were sitting in rows on the trailer floor, without seat belts or an obvious way to escape.

One person told investigators they had crossed the U.S. border illegally, were taken to a hiding place, and later loaded into the trailer.

The driver was charged with illegally transporting people. The investigation is ongoing, and the allegations have not been proven in court.

!What This Means for CDL Drivers

Commercial trucks are sometimes used for illegal smuggling operations.

This case shows how dangerous it can be to transport people inside cargo trailers without proper safety equipment or emergency exits.

Drivers should always know what they are hauling and report suspicious activity.