The U.S. Border Patrol El Paso Sector has issued a warning to rideshare drivers regarding manipulation by transnational criminal organizations involved in human smuggling. Federal officials cautioned that drivers who accept suspicious fares risk severe physical danger and federal felony charges.

Smuggling Attempts on the Rise

Criminal networks often use third-party accounts to coordinate passenger pickups in secluded desert areas, along highway shoulders near the border wall, or in commercial staging lots. Border Patrol officials highlighted several key indicators of smuggling activity for drivers to monitor, including suspicious requests and unusual pickup locations.

El Paso Sector Chief Patrol Agent Jesse D. Munoz has previously emphasized the risks imposed on rideshare workers by criminal organizations. “Cartel criminal smugglers recklessly endanger the lives of rideshare drivers and passengers alike, treating legitimate drivers as disposable tools for their smuggling operations,” Munoz said.

To minimize physical and legal risks, Border Patrol advises drivers who encounter suspicious requests to cancel the trip immediately and move to a secure area. Drivers are encouraged to log their routes using in-app security tools and report concerns directly through their rideshare platform.

Original reporting: El Paso News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.