Feds bust massive alleged Guatemalan human smuggling ring operating out of California

Federal agents arrested 2 Guatemalan men connected Friday accused of operating 1 of the largest quality smuggling operations successful the United States.

The 2 were picked up adjacent downtown Los Angeles and are accused of moving 20,000 amerciable immigrants into the U.S. from Guatemala since 2019.

Eduardo Domingo Renoj-Matul and Cristobal Mejia-Chaj each appeared successful national tribunal hours aft their arrests, and a justice ordered each held without bond. If convicted, they could each look the decease penalty.

"These smuggling organizations person nary respect for quality beingness and their behaviour kills," said acting U.S. Attorney Joseph McNally. "The indictment and arrests present person dismantled 1 of the country’s largest and astir unsafe smuggling organizations. This enactment saves lives, and the members of the enactment volition present look important consequences."

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Helmer Obispo Hernandez, described arsenic a "lieutenant" successful the smuggling operation, remains astatine ample and allegedly threatened to chopped the caput disconnected of a national cause past week. (U.S. Attorney's Office - Los Angeles)

Two different men are besides charged successful the case; Jose Paxtor-Oxlaj, who is down bars successful Oklahoma for his relation successful a 2023 car clang that killed 7 migrants – including 5 from the aforesaid family – and Helmer Obispo-Hernandez, who is described arsenic a "lieutenant" successful the smuggling operation.

"Every day, akin quality smuggling organizations enactment profits up of the information successful these reckless and amerciable endeavors," said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Los Angeles Acting Special Agent successful Charge John Pasciucco. "HSI Los Angeles and our partners are committed to proceed identifying and dismantling these organizations, truthful nary further lives are lost, and our borders are secure."

Homeland Security Investigations Los Angeles Acting Special Agent successful Charge John Pasciucco said the feds are moving to place and dismantle "reckless and illegal" quality smuggling organizations. (Immigration and Customs Enforcement)

Prosecutors allege Renoj-Matul, who goes by the sanction Turko, was the ringleader of the operation. He was moving with counterparts successful Guatemala who would complaint migrants $15,000 to $18,000 for harmless transition to the United States.

Once here, the migrants were past charged again for further transport crossed the country. Renoj-Matul’s indictment alleges migrants nether his absorption were moved to astatine slightest 20 states and Washington, D.C.

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It is believed that migrants who did not wage were held hostage successful a stash location successful the aforesaid Los Angeles neighborhood wherever Renoj-Matul and Mejia-Chaj were arrested.

Operation ringleader Eduardo Domingo Renoj-Matul, who goes by "Turko," allegedly worked with counterparts successful Guatemala who would complaint migrants $15,000 to $18,000 for harmless transition to the United States. (AP Photo/Eric Gay, File)

In 1 incidental past year, prosecutors alleged Renoj-Matul called the parent of a migrant helium was holding hostage and threatened that she "would travel location successful a box" if her smuggling fees were not paid.

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Obispo-Hernandez remains astatine ample and faces further charges for threatening to chopped disconnected the caput of a Homeland Security Investigations officer who served a hunt warrant astatine his location connected Friday.