(FOX NEWS) – Investigators say human smugglers are targeting teens on apps like Tik Tok and Instagram. They're offering them money to pick up migrants from Mexico. Migrants will cross over the Rio Grande from Mexico traveling through private property to get to state highways. That's where teen drivers will pick up migrants helping them travel to bigger cities like San Antonio, Austin or Houston.
Christopher Olivarez is a public information officer for the Texas Department of Public Safety. State troopers have increased their presence helping with border security since Operation Lone Star went into effect over a year ago.
"The smuggling organizations are starting to use and recruit juveniles through social media platforms. Tik Tok, Facebook, Twitter, even using WhatsApp for those encrypted messaging," Oliveras said. "There's always been an issue with human smuggling. But what we're seeing right now lately, which we have never seen in prior years is the use of juveniles. So, the smuggling organizations are starting to use and recruit juveniles through social media platforms."
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