Texas officials stop airplane human smuggling attempt

[Colonel]

The Texas Department of Public Safety stopped a human smuggling attempt that was set to be carried out by using an airplane.

A press release states that the incident happened on Wednesday just after 5 p.m. when a DPS pilot was conducting a ramp check on a Gulf Stream IV aircraft because he suspected "the aircraft was being used in human smuggling," noting that there was "some suspicious activity" from a group of people inside the airport.

The DPS pilot then contacted the person who charted the plane, Maximo Diaz Jorge, who said that the group of people were his employees at an "oil company traveling to Houston to see a baseball game."

However, after the DPS official asked for identification from the individuals, all of them ran, officials say.

While the individuals tried to flee the area, the DPS pilot was hit by an SUV that was driven by Andreina Felix, who was among the group of people.

In total, eight males and five females were among the illegal immigrants from the Dominican Republic and El Salvador, and were referred to the U.S. Border Patrol.

According to a DPS official, one of the immigrants claimed to have paid $11,000 in total to be smuggled, which includes $7,000 to be smuggled into the United States, as well as another $4,000 to be smuggled by an airplane.