Human Smuggling Ring Dismantled In South Texas

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SAN ANTONIO (AP) — U.S. Homeland Security investigators have shattered a South Texas ring that illegally smuggled thousands of immigrants across the border from Mexico and on to other parts of the state — often in small, dangerous truck crawl spaces.

Special agent James Spero said Thursday that 23 people were charged last week with human smuggling. One was Jaime Jaramillo-Hernandez, who's accused of leading the ring authorities say shipped about 150 Central American and Mexican immigrants weekly. The immigrants paid about $5,000 each for the trip.

Authorities say the two-year investigation led to the arrest of more than 400 people, about 60 indictments and $187,000 seized. Spero said the operation earned millions of dollars and extended from border cities to San Antonio and Dallas.

Investigators say they're examining possible links with Mexican cartels.

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