MEXICO ARREST 42 CURRENT, FORMER GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES IN HUGE MIGRANT-TRAFFICKING RING

AP Breaking News ^ | 23 March 2004 | E. Eduardo Castillo

[MeneMeneTekelUpharsin]

MEXICO CITY (AP) - 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 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 officials discovered to date, and that suspects face organized crime and migrant trafficking charges. "Unfortunately, these criminal organizations operated with protection from public servants," Macedo del Concha said, noting the officials "offered information about (police) raids, illegally freed captured migrants, and allowed them to pass with falsified documents." Those arrested included agents and ex-agents of Mexico's National Immigration Institute, the INI, the very agency Mexico relies on to detect illegal migrants and prevent the country from becoming staging base for migrants from other countries.

Even more chilling was the fact that seven of the 26 INI agents arrested were assigned to Mexico's Grupo Beta, a special force designed to protect immigrants. The suspects also included six former INI agents, seven local police and three former officers. Two non-officials who were identified as smugglers were also arrested, bringing the total number of detentions to 44. "Immigrant trafficking is a shameful, intolerable crime," Macedo de la Concha said. "But even more serious is the participation of public servants, because beside damaging people, that also hurts our institutions and principles." Deputy Attorney General Jose Luis Santiago Vasconcelos said the traffickers charged between $2,000 and $6,000 to get immigrants into the United States. 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.

[MeneMeneTekelUpharsin]

This is not news to me. Officials in the Immigration and Naturalization Service are also involved. People on OUR side are taking in a lot of money allowing certain people through.

[South40]

But they only want to come here to do jobs Americans don't want to do. Oh, and get in on the president's amnesty scheme.

[MEG33]

Progress is progress.

[South40]

Officials in the Immigration and Naturalization Service are also involved.

For the most part, USBP personnel are hard-working, dedicated individuals.

However, there are exceptions.

[MeneMeneTekelUpharsin]

Progress is progress.

Progress = public hangings

[blanknoone]

So the Mexicans are not only pushing their own population north...they are the open door for international illegal aliens. They didn't mention middle easterners on the list...but want to bet they did?

Why are our borders unsecured?

[ETERNAL WARMING]

"allegedly smuggled Cubans, Uruguayans, Brazilians, Asians and Central Americans through the southern border and guaranteed them safe passage into the United States."


Notice that none were arrested for smuggling MEXICANS thru the border! Vincente wants to keep the goodies all for himself!

[Bonaparte]

And window dressing is window dressing. Especially in an election year.

Ten million illegals have been sent over our border in the past 10 years and Mexico is just "discovering" this?

[PRND21]

Officials in the Immigration and Naturalization Service are also involved. People on OUR side are taking in a lot of money allowing certain people through.

Time to clean house...starting with the BP union.

[DumpsterDiver]

Progress is progress.

Yes, it is, but I can't help but be suspicious. Please note that the Mexican officials are saying that the people were arrested for allegedly smuggling "Cubans, Uruguayans, Brazilians, Asians and Central Americans" into the U.S. Are they this diligent when the people being smuggled are Mexican nationals?

[MEG33]

I don't care why they do it if it can help stem the flow.

[MeneMeneTekelUpharsin]

Time to clean house...

Understatement of the year.

[MEG33]

These particular ones may be involved in the flow from Central America across the Mexican border.It is a drop in the bucket,I know.

[international american]

Big deal...800 000 got in!

[glock rocks]

ping

[farmfriend]

More pings.

[JackelopeBreeder]

Related article here.

"The report, by the U.S. State Department, the Mexican National Migration Institute, and consular personnel from both nations, says the business of human trafficking earns groups like the Gringo Coyote Company some US $8 billion per year."

The report goes on to say that about $2.7 billion of that money gets spent on bribes on both sides of the border. Beats the odds on the lottery, don't it?

Always follow the money.

[gubamyster]

ping

[Rabid Dog]

Smuggling humans is big business in Mexico - second only to smuggling drugs.

[TBall]

What a nice surprise.