Mexico Arrests 315 Human Traffickers Smuggling Migrants to the US Border
The National Migration Institute (INM) in Mexico has reported the arrest of 315 suspected human traffickers between January 1 and October 15 this year. These arrests were made in 13 out of Mexico’s 32 states, as part of a coordinated effort between the INM and state authorities. The human traffickers were involved in smuggling undocumented migrants towards the US-Mexico border.
UN Refugee Agency and Mexican government estimates suggest that between 3,000 and 6,000 migrants have been arriving daily at the US-Mexico border since August, overwhelming migrant shelters, cities along the migration route, and immigration facilities. Mexican authorities have also seized 339 vehicles used by traffickers, including trucks equipped with hidden compartments to evade X-ray detection.
The surge in migrants, primarily from South and Central America and southern Mexico, has led to an immigration crisis at the US-Mexico border. In September, the US Department of Homeland Security reported over 200,000 apprehensions of migrants crossing the border unlawfully, the highest figure for the year and the most since December 2022.
