Pretrial Detention Ordered for Leader of Human Trafficking Ring Targeting the U.S.

A federal judge ordered pretrial detention for four individuals, including Milagros Acuña García, whom the Attorney General’s Office (FGR) identified as the alleged leader of a criminal organization dedicated to human smuggling into the United States.

Federal prosecutors stated that the criminal group operates in Matamoros and Reynosa, Tamaulipas.

Who are the other accused individuals?

Along with her, Diana Jacaranda García de la Rosa, Patricia de la O Estrada, and José Luis Mendoza Soto have been placed in pretrial detention.

During the initial hearing, the FGR charged them with alleged involvement in organized crime for the purpose of human smuggling.

The individuals were located after a federal prosecutor assigned to the Specialized Prosecutor’s Office for Organized Crime (FEMDO) obtained search warrants from a judge for three properties in the city of Matamoros.

At these locations, Federal Ministerial Police officers executed arrest warrants for José, Patricia, and Diana. Simultaneously, Milagros was served with her warrant while in custody at the Santa Martha Acatitla Women’s Social Reintegration Center in the Iztapalapa borough of Mexico City.

The investigation was conducted in collaboration with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the Federal Ministerial Police, following the discovery of the criminal organization allegedly led by Milagros.

Human Smuggling in Mexico

Human trafficking is a global problem and one of the most heinous acts in existence, violating the dignity of millions of people worldwide.

To put the scale of this crime into perspective: over a decade ago, it was considered the third most profitable illicit business in the world, trailing only drug trafficking. Globally, more than 27 million people have fallen victim to it. The activity generates between $10 billion and $30 billion in revenue worldwide. This offense is committed by anyone who promotes, solicits, offers, facilitates, obtains, transports, delivers, or receives a person—whether for themselves or for a third party—using physical or psychological violence, deception, or abuse of power, in order to subject that person to sexual exploitation, forced labor or services, slavery or practices similar to slavery, servitude, or the removal of an organ, tissue, or components thereof.

Mexico is classified as a source, transit, and destination country for human trafficking for the purposes of commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor. Groups considered most vulnerable include women, children, Indigenous people, migrants, and undocumented individuals.

Source: Milenio