Drugged Children Rescued From Smugglers At US-Mexico Border

Border Patrol agents in California have saved several children from cartel smugglers who drugged them to keep them quiet during their journey across the border. El Centro Sector Chief Gregory Bovino recently shared details of these rescues, explaining how one young boy was found heavily dosed with sleep aids while his trafficker carried multiple birth certificates.

Within 48 hours of the initial rescue, agents discovered two more children in similar circumstances, drugged and smuggled by individuals who were not their relatives. “This is evil,” Bovino said, describing the lengths to which traffickers go to exploit vulnerable minors.

California, which shares only 137 miles of the U.S.-Mexico border, has seen a surge in illegal crossings and drug smuggling under current federal policies. The state now leads the nation in apprehensions, with the Border Patrol’s El Centro and San Diego sectors handling unprecedented numbers of cases.

During congressional hearings, former Border Patrol Chief Aaron Heitke described how cartels are recruiting young girls in Mexico and smuggling them into U.S. cities like Los Angeles and Oakland, where they are forced into prostitution. Heitke explained that many of these girls are lured away from their families and put into the hands of traffickers once they arrive in the U.S.

Law enforcement officials, including former ICE Chief Tom Homan and Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux, have called for more aggressive enforcement of immigration laws to combat the growing human trafficking crisis at the southern border. Without stronger measures, they warn, criminal cartels will continue to exploit children and women for profit.