Federal authorities in California arrested and charged the leader of a criminal organization that is allegedly smuggled more than 20,000 illegal immigrants from Guatemala to the United States over five years, including seven people who died in a car accident in 2023.
US immigration customs and enforcement said recently statement“A illicit foreigner in Guatemala has been arrested on a four-count indictment, claiming he led one of the largest human smuggling organizations in the United States.”
“The indictment and arrests here have dismantled one of the nation's largest and most dangerous smuggling organizations.”
US officials said the huge human trafficking circle “smuggled about 20,000 illegal immigrants from Guatemala to destinations nationwide in five years.” US federal authorities estimated that illegal immigrants paid human smuggling rings “between $15,000 and $18,000” for each illegal immigrant smuggled into the United States.
Human smuggling rings are said to have smuggled illegal aliens into Arizona. The illegal aliens were reportedly offered to be transported to Los Angeles for an additional fee.
Ice said that illegal immigrants who did not pay the fee are “taking hostages at a hideout in the Westlake area near downtown Los Angeles.”
“The defendant holds some of the victims of Stash House hostages and is responsible for seven illegal immigrants (including seven illegal immigrant deaths, including a four-year-old child) killed in a car accident in Oklahoma in November 2023,” U.S. Immigration and Customs said. statement.
Federal officials said 51-year-old Eduardo Domingo Rinoj Matur (also known as “Turco”) was arrested on February 28th in the Westlake area near downtown Los Angeles.
Authorities also said Renoj-Matul's “right arm” (49-year-old Cristobal Mejia-Chaj) was also arrested the same day.
Overall, four suspects who played an important role in human smuggling rings have been reportedly arrested. All suspects are said to be Guatemalan citizens who lived illegally in the United States on suspicion of a crime.
US authorities also arrested 41-year-old Helmer Obispo Hernandez, the EU of the criminal organization. Ice also allegedly caught 44-year-old Jose Pakstal Oxraj, a driver of a smuggling organisation in jail in Oklahoma.
In another federal criminal charge filed on March 2, Obispo Hernandez is accused of threatening to cut off ICE Task Force officers and heads of his family members on February 28.
The federal government said all four defendants have been charged with one conspiracy to take the aliens to the US, transport the US aliens, and embrace the aliens to the US for civilian financial benefits, resulting in death.
“These smuggling groups do not consider the murder of human lives and their actions,” said representing US lawyer Joseph T. McNally. “Their members pose a risk to the public and law enforcement agencies. We need to actively enforce immigration laws so that these organizations cannot operate. The prosecutions and arrests here have dismantled one of the nation's largest and most dangerous smuggling organizations. This job saved lives and members of the organization will now face serious consequences.”
Ice Homeland Security Investigation Los Angeles plays a special agent in charge of John Pasiucco, saying, “These arrests light the dangers and damages associated with aliens trying to enter our country illegally. Every day, similar human smuggling organizations benefit from these reckless and illegal efforts.”
The US immigration customs and enforcement noted that if a defendant is found guilty of all charges, he faces a maximum statutory death or life sentence.
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