8 found dead in trailer carrying illegal immigrants in US

Eight persons were found dead in a trailer carrying illegal immigrants at a Walmart parking area in US state of Texas, authorities said.

The San Antonio Police Department said on Sunday that the victims include at least two children, adding that about 30 more people were found inside the truck and were transferred to local hospitals for treatment.

Police did not know the victims' country of origin, destination, or ages of the deceased or injured, Xinhua news agency quoted police as saying.

San Antonio is a US city close to the border area with Mexico. Border Patrol agents have reported an increase in smuggling attempts in tractor-trailers in recent weeks, starting with 44 people from Mexico and Guatemala discovered after police stopped an 18-wheeler on June 19 near one of the city's international bridges.

On July 7, the agents found 72 people from Mexico, Ecuador, Guatemala and El Salvador inside a locked trailer in the same part of town. The next day, they found 33 people from Mexico and Guatemala inside a trailer stopped at a Border Patrol checkpoint.

In another incident last week, border patrol agents found 16 people inside a locked trailer.

--IANS

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