Migrant Trafficking Ring Busted

Mexican police have arrested 42 immigration agents and other government employees accused of running a network that smuggled illegal immigrants into the United States, officials said Tuesday.

The suspects, arrested in raids last week in 12 of Mexico's 31 states, allegedly smuggled Cubans, Uruguayans, Brazilians, Asians and Central Americans in through the southern border, and guaranteed them safe passage into the United States. It was unclear how the ring operated in the United States.

Attorney General Rafael Macedo de la Concha said his office was asking U.S. law enforcement agencies for help in determining whether any Americans were involved in the ring.

Macedo de la Concha said it was the largest smuggling ring involving government employees.

The suspects included 26 agents of Mexico's National Immigration Institute, the INI, six former agents, seven policemen and three former policemen. Two other suspects who were not government employees were also arrested, bringing the total number in detention to 44.

Deputy Attorney General Jose Luis Santiago Vasconcelos said the traffickers charged $2,000 to $6,000 per immigrant. The highest price was charged for smuggling Asians.

The ring operated in the northern border states of Baja California, Chihuahua and Nuevo Leon; the southern border states of Chiapas and Quintana Roo, and the central Mexico states of Jalisco, Tabasco, Veracruz, San Luis Potosi, Mexico and Mexico City.

By E. Eduardo Castillo