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DPS: 17 migrants recovered from big rig masquerading as Lowe's truck in South Texas

The driver, a Mississippi man, was taken into custody.

SAN ANTONIO — State law enforcement say 17 migrants were packed into a tiny hidden compartment of a "cloned Lowe's work truck" when authorities found them Friday morning in Kinney County. 

The migrants, comprising of 13 men and four women, were "suffering from dehydration and numbness in their legs as a result of being crammed in 3' wide space," Chris Olivarez, a spokesperson for the Texas Department of Public Safety, said on social media.

Credit: Texas DPS
Texas authorities say a fake Lowe's-branded work truck was used to smuggle nearly 20 migrants into the state.

The unidentified driver, a Mississippi man, was taken into custody and faces charges of human smuggling causing serious bodily injury. Medical care was provided for the migrants, who officials say had entered the country illegally. 

Olivarez said troopers' efforts potentially prevented a mass casualty event. 

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