Eight people were arrested and are accused of transporting migrants from Colombia, Mexico and Guatemala in "inhuman conditions".
According to information released by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), in conjunction with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), eight people were under the command of Erminia Serrano Piedra, known as “Boss Lady.” She led a human smuggling network that was dismantled this week by authorities in Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas.
The agency revealed that the victims were citizens of Colombia, Guatemala, and Mexico. Some of the migrants were being transported in boxes and suitcases crammed into the back of tractor-trailers, pickup trucks, and even water tankers as part of their journeys to and through North America.
It is presumed that the drivers of these vehicles, in some cases, received up to $1,442,500 as payment for each passenger. Also, according to the Attorney General's Office, three properties and more than $1,442.2 million in cash were seized during the operation.
The individuals arrested are accused of smuggling Latin Americans across the border in inhumane conditions. According to Kenneth Polite, assistant attorney general for the criminal division, the human smuggling organization allegedly "used methods to transport migrants that endangered their lives, as they were frequently held in enclosed, poorly ventilated spaces, without temperature control, and in conditions that put them at great risk." He added that they risked human lives in exchange for money.
The charges are the result of the Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA) operation. Through JTFA, coordination and collaboration have increased between the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Department of Justice, and other agencies, as well as partners in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico.
The purpose of the special group is to identify the smuggling organizations with the greatest impact on the U.S. and to facilitate prosecution and extradition efforts.
News report based on information from: El Diario and Caracol Radio.
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