Hidalgo County, Texas – A 15-year-old boy from Mexico was arrested early this morning after leading a group of illegal immigrants across the Rio Grande as part of a human smuggling operation.

The arrest took place during a joint effort by the Texas Department of Public Safety Brush Team and U.S. Border Patrol agents in the Rio Grande Valley.

Authorities say the juvenile acted as a smuggling guide. In a video recorded during the operation, he explains how smuggling organizations use GPS coordinates and encrypted messaging to coordinate illegal crossings.

The boy told troopers he was paid $150 per person to guide them across the border.

DPS troopers arrested him and charged him with smuggling of persons. He was taken to a juvenile detention center.

Officials say this video provides rare insight into how transnational criminal networks exploit minors to carry out smuggling missions.

DPS says it will continue working with federal agencies to target and dismantle these smuggling operations.

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