some headlines and click open my local e-newspaper, and holy cow what is news here today:
Two Sumner County residents arrested, Fentanyl seized, three migrants discovered inside vehicle’s trunk
August 21, 2024 Cueball
Sumner Newscow report — According to a news website in Del Rio, Texas near the U.S.-Mexico border, two people with Sumner County ties have been arrested for human smuggling.
In a report for the Eagle Pass News Leader, Maverick County Sheriff’s Office deputies successfully intercepted a human smuggling attempt, rescuing three illegal immigrants who were found crammed into the trunk of a car. The incident unfolded on Highway 277 North, where deputies stopped a blue Honda Accord with Kansas plates for a traffic violation.
The driver was identified as 29-year-old Jordyn Swift and her passenger as 32-year-old Joshua Michael Asbury, both from Caldwell. Upon conducting a thorough investigation, deputies discovered a bag of fentanyl hidden in Swift’s undergarments.
Further inspection of the vehicle led to the shocking discovery of three individuals concealed in the car’s trunk. The migrants were promptly rescued, and Swift and Asbury were arrested on charges of human trafficking and possession of dangerous substances.
Border Patrol agents arrived at the scene to take custody of the migrants and continue the investigation. This incident highlights the ongoing challenges law enforcement faces in combating human smuggling and the dangers posed by the trafficking of illicit drugs like fentanyl.
Two Sumner County residents arrested, Fentanyl seized, three migrants discovered inside vehicle’s trunk
Scottie's Playtime 
A couple of contrasts with Aotearoa: illegal immigrants are not a problem here due to our relative isolation. However we do have people who arrive here on tourist visas, student visas and work visas who fail to leave when their visa expires. The number isn’t huge but (like in the US) some political parties make a big issue of it.
But the biggest contrast is the publication of the names and images of people charged with a crime. Here the identity of those charged with a crime is not published until after their first court appearance. This is seen as essential in the interests of justice and a fair trial and to protect possible innocent third parties.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I agree with that, not publishing names or photos before a court appearance. I used to work with the courts, and honestly, the number of times you hear potential jurors say they’ve seen this and that article posted on their social. sigh.
Caldwell is a little town about 30 mi. South of where I live. I don’t know those people, nor have I heard their names before. They were certainly far away from home, if they still live in Caldwell! However, human trafficking is very bad in my eyes, and so is carrying fentanyl like that. So it’s a good thing they’ll go to court down in TX.
I sort of appreciated getting the story, though; people up here have a hard time understanding humans being trafficked, thinking they all get tickets to the border, walk or swim across, and then just pick up and start living in the US. Maybe this will bring home how it frequently happens, although I can’t believe the author used the term illegal immigrants. But it’s probably what he got from the TX news source, I guess. He’s usually more humane than that. Ah, well. I wanted to share that my county had something happen somewhere else, that the jabberers can jabber about! And I was surprised by the story.
LikeLike