Multiple horses seized during an alleged livestock smuggling attempt near Redford have been cleared by federal inspectors and reassigned to support U.S. Border Patrol operations in the Big Bend region.
According to the U.S. Border Patrol Big Bend Sector, the animals were seized by the Presidio County Sheriff’s Office during an attempted livestock smuggling incident near the border community of Redford.
After the seizure, the horses were inspected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and determined to be free of New World screwworm, a parasitic pest that has prompted heightened scrutiny of livestock movements along the U.S.-Mexico border.
Border Patrol officials said the horses have now been incorporated into agency operations and will be used to support the agency’s mission in the rugged terrain of Far West Texas.
The Big Bend Sector announced the development Wednesday in a social media post highlighting cooperation between local and federal law enforcement agencies. The agency described the effort as a “law enforcement partnership” and said the horses are being repurposed for border security operations.
Authorities did not disclose how many horses were seized, who owned the animals, or whether any arrests or criminal charges resulted from the alleged smuggling attempt.
Mounted patrols remain an important tool for Border Patrol agents in remote areas of the Big Bend region, where rough terrain and limited road access can make vehicle operations difficult. The newly acquired horses are expected to supplement those efforts.
