On the third anniversary of the incident involving Central American migrants, the U.S. Justice Department, in coordination with Guatemalan authorities, announced the indictment of five Guatemalan nationals in connection with a 2021 mass casualty event. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, the individuals are accused of conspiring to smuggle migrants through Mexico into the United States, resulting in a truck crash in Chiapas, Mexico, that left more than 50 people dead and over 100 injured. One of those arrested, Jorge Agapito Ventura, made his initial appearance in a U.S. court today.
The other individuals arrested in Guatemala upon the U.S.'s request include Tomas Quino Canil, Alberto Marcario Chitic, aka Alberto De Jesus, Oswaldo Manuel Zavala Quino, aka Osvaldo ZQ, and Josefa Quino Canil De Zavala. All have been indicted and their alleged operation spanned from October 2021 to February 2023, the indictment outlined details of their operation, which involved recruiting migrants, including unaccompanied minors, by collecting payments and organizing their journey in hopes of reaching a better life in the United States. Unfortunately, the operation ended tragically with multiple deaths and injuries in the cargo area of an overturned tractor-trailer.
U.S. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland stated, "The Justice Department is holding accountable the individuals who we allege preyed on vulnerable migrants and are responsible for this heinous crime," emphasizing the strong stance the U.S. has taken against human smuggling. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas expressed a similar sentiment, calling smugglers "ruthless, callous and dangerous" and reassuring the public of DHS's continued efforts to disrupt and dismantle such operations, according to a statement obtained by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Reflecting on the impact of the tragedy, U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani for the Southern District of Texas remarked on the gravity of the event, "Our investigation into this catastrophic event that killed over 50 people, including children, signifies the unwavering commitment of the SDTX to hold those who engage in human smuggling accountable," according to the press release. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Day and Trial Attorney Danielle Hickman are leading the prosecution, with Joanna Crandall, a Latin American Specialist/Historian for the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section, providing crucial support.
The operation that captured these individuals is part of the Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA), a collaborative effort initiated by the Justice Department and the DHS in June 2021 to counteract smugglers operating in Latin America. The task force's robust efforts have secured over 330 domestic and international arrests and over 275 convictions related to human smuggling offenses.
