Operation Lone Star Seizes $2.4 Million Worth Of Methamphetamine

TEXAS, June 20 - June 20, 2025 | Austin, Texas | Press Release

Governor Greg Abbott, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), and the Texas National Guard continue to work together with the Trump Administration to secure the border; stop the smuggling of drugs, weapons, and people into Texas; and prevent, detect, and interdict transnational criminal activity between ports of entry. 
 
Since the launch of Operation Lone Star, the multi-agency effort has led to over 533,800 illegal immigrant apprehensions and more than 54,300 criminal arrests, with more than 45,800 felony charges. In the fight against the fentanyl crisis, Texas law enforcement has seized over 735 million lethal doses of fentanyl—enough to kill every man, woman, and child in the United States, Mexico, and Canada combined during this border mission.
 
Operation Lone Star continues working to undo the damage done by the Biden Administration. Every individual who is apprehended or arrested and every ounce of drugs seized would have otherwise made their way into communities across Texas and the nation due to open border policies.    
 
RECENT HIGHLIGHTS FROM OPERATION LONE STAR:
 
Governor Abbott: President Trump Shows True Leadership On Southern Border
 
On Tuesday, Governor Abbott highlighted President Donald Trump's success at securing the border and safeguarding the country, as border agents did not release a single illegal immigrant into America last month.
 
Texas will keep working with President Trump and Border Czar Tom Homan to secure the border.

Governor Abbott: DPS Assists Federal Partners On Human Smuggler Arrests
 
Last week, Governor Abbott shared photos on X, formerly known as Twitter, of DPS brush teams assisting federal partners to arrest, detain, and deport human smugglers. 
 
Texas continues to work closely with the Trump Administration to secure the border to keep Texas and America safe. 

Governor Abbott: Texas Works With Federal Partners To Secure The Border
 
Last week, Governor Abbott took to X to highlight DPS agents arresting illegal immigrants and human smugglers attempting to illegally enter the United States. 

DPS Seizes Estimated $2.4 Million Worth Of Methamphetamine In Hidalgo County
 
Last Monday, DPS special agents responded to a call for assistance from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents at the Pharr Port of Entry.
 
CBP agents had conducted a commercial vehicle inspection and suspected the driver of a gray 2012 Freightliner truck tractor of smuggling narcotics. While conducting a secondary inspection, DPS special agents noticed a false compartment in the vehicle’s trailer area.
 
Inside, DPS special agents discovered more than 390 bundles of methamphetamine. The methamphetamine has an estimated street value of more than $2.4 million. 
 
DPS special agents adopted the case and arrested the driver, Luis Fernando Sarinana Matias, 28, of Reynosa, Mexico. He is charged with possession of a controlled substance. 

DPS Border Mounted Patrol Unit Assist Border Patrol Agents With Illegal Immigrant Apprehensions 
 
Earlier this month, DPS’ Border Mounted Patrol Unit assisted Border Patrol Agents in apprehending two illegal immigrants attempting to evade capture on a private ranch in Brackettville.
 
Through strong state-federal collaboration, both illegal immigrants, from Mexico, were located and taken into custody.

DPS Discovers 25 Illegal Immigrants Crammed Inside Box Truck Along I-37
 
Last week, a DPS trooper was approached by a concerned citizen at a truck stop along IH-37 in George West regarding a minor crash that occurred in the parking lot. The trooper made contact with the driver of a white 2005 International box truck. The driver indicated that she was driving to Houston, Texas after picking up mattresses in Alton, Texas.
 
During the interaction, the trooper suspected inconsistencies in the driver's travel plans and requested consent to search the truck. The trooper, with assistance from the George West Police Department, then discovered 25 illegal immigrants crammed inside a small corner of the box truck attempting to conceal themselves behind 30 mattresses and inside a crawl space within the box truck wall. There was little-to-no ventilation.
 
The group of 25 illegal immigrants included 12 males, 12 females, and an 11-year-old child. All were from Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, India, Mexico, and Venezuela. The 25 illegal immigrants were immediately removed from the truck for medical evaluation and then referred to U.S. Border Patrol.
 
The driver, Silvia Patricia Santamaria, 43, of Houston, Texas, was arrested and charged with 25 counts of smuggling of persons. She was booked into the Live Oak County Jail.
 
Video from the incident is available here.

WATCH: DPS Discover Illegal Immigrants Underneath Hay Bales In Val Verde County
 
Earlier this month, a DPS trooper stopped a Ford F-150 towing a trailer with hay bales on US-277 in Val Verde County. 
 
During the stop, the trooper requested consent to search the trailer, but the driver, Christopher Ortiz, of San Antonio, declined. The trooper then requested assistance from a Border Patrol K-9, who was deployed and alerted to the trailer. The trooper and agents discovered two illegal immigrants hiding underneath the hay bales.
 
Ortiz was arrested and charged with two counts of smuggling of persons with the likelihood of serious bodily injury or death. The two illegal immigrants, from Mexico, were referred to Border Patrol.

 Texas National Guard, Department Of Defense Collaborate On Cybersecurity Tactics
 
Last week, senior leaders from the Texas National Guard hosted U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) Chief Information Officer Katie Arrington to discuss state-federal collaboration on cyber defense and technologies to secure the southern border and critical infrastructure from foreign threats. 
 
“In today’s threat environment – where challenges to our border and critical infrastructure are growing more complex – interoperability and coordination between federal and state agencies are essential,” said Lieutenant Colonel Chris Winnek. 
 
During her visit to Camp Mabry, Ms. Arrington met with Texas National Guard leadership to discuss emerging DoD policies affecting network infrastructure, cyber defense, and information technology across the full spectrum of military operations.