WESLACO – A cartel expert says criminal organizations are taking advantage of situations like the caravan.

Border Patrol tells CHANNEL 5 NEWS there were over 20,000 apprehensions for the month of October. The agency says criminal groups are likely using family units as a distraction to smuggle drugs into the U.S.

KRGV’s Angelo Vargas spoke with Maryanne Denner, a 30-year gang and criminal expert.

“Cartels have been known to cause situations where everybody is focusing their attention on something else,” she explains,” for them to be able to do what they got to do somewhere else.”

Border Patrol says they will continue to use resources to stop these types of distractions.

Watch the video above for the full story.