Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson on Wednesday announced it has dismantled a human smuggling network that was used to illegally bring hundreds of people from Central America across the southern U.S. border.
Officials worked with officials in El Salvador, Guatemala and Mexico on “Operation Lucero,” which ended with the arrest of 36 people. DHS said the sting shut down 14 smuggling routes, and that officials executed 56 search warrants in the three countries.
Johnson noted in a statement that it was a joint effort between DHS and the three governments.
“Operation Lucero marks an important success in our continued effort to dismantle human smuggling networks and further secure our nation’s border,” Johnson said. “Last year when we experienced an unprecedented surge in illegal migration from Central America through Mexico and into south Texas, I directed DHS law enforcement components to quickly expand our efforts and refine our focus on targeting the smuggling networks that facilitate this illegal migration.”
DHS said this raid was part of a larger series of operations that was initiated in June 2014, during last summer’s Central American migrant crisis. Last year, the U.S. saw a huge spike in the number of people, including thousands of children, trying to enter the U.S. from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras.
“[S]ince these operations were launched in June 2014, HSI has initiated 594 human smuggling investigations, executed 1,244 criminal arrests, obtained 927 indictments and seized $807,117 in currency,” Johnson said, referring to Homeland Security Investigations.
