Authorities in Coral Gables, Florida intercepted two vans carrying 26 Chinese migrants on Tuesday morning, detaining two individuals suspected of human smuggling. This incident follows a similar event just over a week prior, where over 30 migrants were apprehended in the same area.

A concerned citizen alerted police around 8 a.m. about the possibility of migrants being transported in vans. Responding officers located the vehicles and conducted traffic stops, discovering the 26 individuals, a mix of men and women believed to be Chinese migrants. The two suspected smugglers are male.

One van was stopped at 11600 Old Cutler Road, and the other on the 8800 block of Old Cutler Road at Kendall. The migrants were seen sitting roadside during the stop before being transported to an undisclosed location by county trolleys.

The Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and Customs and Border Patrol are now leading the investigation. This recent event echoes a similar situation on January 17th, where over 30 migrants, primarily Chinese nationals, were discovered in a Toyota and a U-Haul truck in Coral Gables following an alleged abduction report.

In that incident, a security guard reported a potential abduction, leading to the discovery of the vehicles. The alleged abductee was removed from the Toyota, and the U-Haul was found to contain 16 Chinese women, 15 Chinese men, one Cuban man, and an Ecuadorian woman. The Toyota also held a Cuban man, a Brazilian woman, and an Ecuadorian man. Authorities are investigating whether the woman was attempting to escape the alleged smugglers.

The migrants received medical attention and were reported to be tired but otherwise in good health. Four individuals were taken into custody in connection with the January 17th event. The number of Chinese nationals encountered at the U.S. border has seen a dramatic increase, rising from 1,970 encounters in FY 2022 to over 24,000 in both FY 2023 and FY 2024 (as of April 2024).