A 41-year-old Guatemalan man, Daniel Zavala Ramos, was extradited to the U.S. to face charges related to a 2021 Chiapas, Mexico, accident that killed over 50 people and injured more than 100, all being transported illegally in a tractor-trailer. He and five others are charged with conspiring to bring illegal aliens into the U.S., endangering their safety, and causing serious harm or death, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Between October 2021 and February 2023, the group recruited individuals, collected payments, and transported people, including unaccompanied minors, in unsafe conditions. If convicted, Zavala Ramos and his co-defendants could face life in prison and fines up to $250,000 each, as reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, working with national and international agencies, carried out Operation Take Back America to target human smuggling and trafficking networks. The effort led to more than 420 arrests, over 370 U.S. convictions, and the seizure of criminal assets. The operation focused on dismantling transnational criminal organizations and improving public safety, as stated by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
