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Horse smuggling exposes cracks in US defenses against screwworm
Authorities say smuggled horses can fetch at least $30,000 each and may bypass inspections that help stop New World screwworm spread.
- Sheriff's deputies near Redford, Texas, intercepted a trailer carrying six horses in late May after the animals crossed the Rio Grande illegally, bypassing veterinary inspections and exposing significant gaps in U.S. defenses against the New World screwworm parasite.
- Officials have argued for over a year that illicit livestock trafficking from Central America helped carry screwworm north, as animals bypassing regulated channels avoid the inspections and health certifications necessary to identify and prevent infections.
- Presidio County Sergeant Deputy Sheriff Jaime Sanchez noted that trafficked horses can fetch at least $30,000, with smugglers paying $500–$1,000 per horse to move animals through isolated corridors overlapping drug and human smuggling routes.
- About 80 law enforcement officers with the Operation Lone Star Task Force converged for a coordinated sweep in August to deter illegal crossings, while Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins said the department is "cracking down" on illicit movements.
- Experts estimate a widespread screwworm outbreak could cost the economy up to $1.8 billion, though officials have not yet linked any of the country's 48 confirmed cases to smuggling while the parasite continues threatening Texas cattle.
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Total News Sources9
Leaning Left0Leaning Right2Center3Last UpdatedBias Distribution60% Center
Bias Distribution
- 60% of the sources are Center
60% Center
C 60%
R 40%
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