Ten suspected illegal immigrants were arrested in connection with child pornography charges in Chambers County, Texas.
The raid, which uncovered the group from Asia and Guatemala, was conducted at a residence identified as a hub for human smuggling activities, according to Homeland Security and local law enforcement officials.
The Chambers County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) executed a search warrant at 5118 Dripping Springs, located approximately 33 miles east of Downtown Houston, as part of an investigation triggered by a tip-off to the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force.
The intelligence received by the task force indicated that child pornography was being downloaded at the address.
Upon arrival, deputies were forced to make a forced entry when occupants refused to open the door. Inside, they discovered 10 individuals who are believed to have been in the U.S. illegally.
Homeland Security was called to the scene to assist with the unfolding investigation, and the suspects were subsequently transported to Chambers County Jail for processing by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
“This is an ongoing investigation looking into possible human trafficking and/or human smuggling as well as other possible crimes,” according to CCSO’s Facebook post.
Police confiscated numerous electronic gadgets from the location, but the specifics of what these devices contain have not been verified, according to Fox 26. Additionally, items related to restaurant operations were discovered.
“Those types of downloads are illegal and are heavily monitored,” CCSO Captain Bryan Baker told Fox 26. “We’re just not going to tolerate that in our county.”
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