Human Smuggling Network Uncovered with Arrests in Guatemala and Texas
In a significant breakthrough, six individuals from Guatemala have been apprehended on human smuggling charges connected to a tragic semitrailer truck accident that occurred in Mexico in 2021. This incident resulted in the deaths of over 50 migrants. The arrests were made on the anniversary of the crash, highlighting the ongoing efforts to bring those responsible to justice.
The ill-fated truck was overloaded with at least 160 migrants, predominantly from Guatemala, when it collided with a pedestrian bridge support in Tuxtla Gutierrez, the capital of Chiapas. The apprehended individuals face severe charges, including conspiracy and causing death by placing lives in jeopardy.
Guatemalan authorities, in coordination with U.S. officials, executed the arrests. Tomas Quino Canil, 36; Alberto Marcario Chitic, 31; Oswaldo Manuel Zavala Quino, 24; and Josefa Quino Canil de Zavala, 42, were detained in Guatemala. Meanwhile, Jorge Agapito Ventura was captured at his residence in Cleveland, Texas. A sixth arrest was also reported by Guatemalan officials, although the individual’s name remains undisclosed in the U.S. federal indictment.
The indictment reveals that the accused were involved in a conspiracy to smuggle migrants from Guatemala through Mexico into the United States in exchange for payment. The operation often involved transporting unaccompanied children, providing them with scripts to use if caught. Methods of transportation included walking, microbuses, cattle trucks, and semitrailers. The smugglers utilized Facebook Messenger to facilitate the exchange of identification documents required for the migrants’ entry into the U.S.
U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas commented on the disaster, stating, “The tragedy that occurred three years ago today in Chiapas is further proof that human smugglers are ruthless, callous and dangerous, intending migrants should not believe their lives.”
Guatemalan Interior Minister Francisco Jiménez disclosed that the individuals were part of a criminal organization known as Los Quino. The U.S. has sought the extradition of the four individuals arrested in Guatemala, and authorities executed 15 search warrants across the country with assistance from both U.S. and Mexican governments.
The Justice Department has not yet confirmed whether the accused have legal representation in the U.S. capable of commenting on their behalf.
