DPS aerial image of trucks from which Gulf Cartel gunmen were engaged in gunbattle against rivals across the Rio Grande from Texas.Photo byTexas Department of Public Safety

There are some concerning border security incidents to report along the Rio Grande in South Texas. Let's start in Donna, Texas where Department of Public Safety (DPS) aircrews witnessed a gunbattle between rival factions of the Gulf Cartel just across the river on Wednesday, October 23, 2024:

Gulf Cartel Gunmen can be seen in the upper part of this aerial image outside a truck during a gunbattle in Rio Bravo, Mexico (Oct 23, 2024)Photo byTexas Department of Public Safety

The DPS Says rival Gulf Cartels are fighting for control of the drug and human smuggling trade along the border with Texas around the town of Rio Bravo in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas. Another gunbattle involving the Gulf Cartel there earlier this month left "Monstruosos" (homemade armored trucks often known as "Narco Tanks") disabled and abandoned:

This homemade armored vehicle was abandoned by the Gulf Cartel in Rio Bravo, Mexico after being disabled in a gunbattle on Oct. 13, 2024Photo by@FuriaNegra77 via x.com

Meanwhile just to the East of Donna, Texas - in neighboring Cameron County - a DPS drone caught drug smugglers literally loading up a dump truck with bales of marijuana in broad daylight along a remote border road on Tuesday, October 22, 2024:

DPS Drone view of smugglers tossing bales of marijuana into a dump truck in broad daylight (Cameron County, Texas - October 22, 2024)Photo byTexas Department of Public Safety

The drone followed the truck as it drove off - allowing Texas State Troopers and U.S. Federal Officers to intercept the drug load - which weighed 700 pounds - and was worth well over a half-million dollars.

A Mexican cartel lost this 700-pound load of marijuana worth more than a half million dollars to Texas and U.S. officers on Oct 22, 2023.Photo byTexas Department of Public Safety

A day earlier, in Laredo, U.S. Border Patrol Officers interrupted a human-smuggling operation involving a truckload of a different kind. The federal officers found 28 migrants who had illegally crossed the Rio Grande crammed into the sleeper portion of a semi-truck whose driver had been paid by a Mexican Cartel to transport them deeper into the state.

28 migrants apprehened by Border Patrol Agents while being smuggled in the sleeper section of this truck in Laredo (Oct 21, 2024)Photo byU.S. Border Patrol

In addition to committing a crime, the Border Patrol says the truck driver smuggling the migrants endangered their lives in the event of an accident by cramming so many people into such a small space:

The dangerously overcrowded sleeper compartment could have become a death trap in the event of an accident during the smuggling attempt.Photo byU.S. Border Patrol

Do you believe enough is being done to secure our border with Mexico?

Share your opinion in the comments on this article!

For more stories like this "Follow Me" on the Newsbreak App and "Like" this article to stay up to date on border security issues regularly covered by Jack Beavers on Newsbreak like these:

• Arizona USMC Veteran Killed by Cartel Gunmen in Mexico
• JD Vance Vows Justice for USMC Vet's Cartel Killers
• Mexico Travel? Urgent U.S. Warnings!
• Texas Issues "Most Wanted Illegal Immigrants" List - Rewards Offered

You Can Make Money Writing For Newsbreak! APPLY HERE