Special Interest Alien From China Captured During Human Trafficking Arrest in Maverick County

DEL RIO, Texas – The Texas Department of Public Safety arrested a Nicaraguan national on human smuggling charges and apprehended a special interest alien from China during an Operation Lone Star traffic stop in Maverick County, authorities said.

According to Texas Department of Public Safety, the stop occurred just after 11:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, when a DPS trooper pulled over a gray Toyota Camry on U.S. 277 for a traffic violation.

During the stop, the trooper discovered four illegal immigrants inside the vehicle, all dressed in camouflage, who were being smuggled by the driver. One of the four was identified as Beibei Liu, 34, a special interest alien from China.

A Special Interest Alien (SIA) is a non-U.S. person, often an illegal border crosser, flagged by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as a potential national security risk based on travel patterns or country of origin. They often originate from countries that protect or promote terrorism.

The driver, Juan Alfonso Merlo Ibarra, 35, an illegal immigrant from Nicaragua, was arrested and charged with four counts of smuggling of persons. He was booked into the Maverick County Jail.

Liu and the three remaining illegal immigrants, all from Mexico, including one juvenile, were referred to U.S. Border Patrol.