Thread: Migrant-smuggling ring dealt serious blow

Migrant-smuggling ring dealt serious blow
Lindsey Collom
The Arizona Republic
Feb. 15, 2008 12:00 AM

Authorities say they have crippled a human-smuggling ring that shuttled 24 to 60 illegal immigrants daily to the Phoenix area from the border town Naco in southeastern Arizona.

Two Cuban nationals are suspected of running the organization, which law-enforcement officials described as one of the largest and most sophisticated operations in Arizona. They said the ring moved four to six loads of immigrants per day, averaging six to 10 people per load, and grossed as much as $130,000 a week.

The two, Jose Luis Suarez-Lemus, 41, and Roel Ayala Fernandez, 35, both Valley residents, are believed to have taken over the syndicate about a year ago, but authorities say the operation has been in existence for at least a decade and may have smuggled tens of thousands of immigrants into the country. Both are in custody. advertisement

In all, 48 people have been identified in a criminal indictment relating to the seven-month investigation into the organization. Authorities executed search warrants in Phoenix, Peoria and Bisbee. Ten people have been arrested, and others are still at large. A total of 75 suspects have been identified.

"Operation River Walkers" began as a money-laundering case of the state Financial Crimes Task Force, which has spent several years investigating smuggling organizations by tracking Western Union money shipments sent to Arizona drophouses for the payment of coyote fees.

Authorities allege Suarez-Lemus and Ayala Fernandez ran the ring and paid people in Mexico and Arizona to help with the smuggling.

Suarez-Lemus' stepson, Daril Hidalgo, who answered the phone at the home of one of the suspects, maintained that "the police just came in the house and found no proof." Hidalgo was not mentioned in the redacted indictment released to news reporters.

Phoenix police Lt. Vince Piano said detectives got an intimate look into the syndicate's inner workings, from the $1,000 paid to the border organizer arranging the loads to the $50 for the drophouse cook. Smugglers often charged up to $2,500 per person.

"It's like a travel agency," Sgt. Joel Tranter said. "You check into Naco, you pay your fee and everything's taken care of for you."

The two suspects paid recruiters in Mexico to find customers, paid Mexican police to allow smugglers to cross, and paid trail guides to lead immigrants through the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area in southeastern Arizona, Piano said.

Drivers were paid to bring the immigrants by van to Phoenix, authorities said. Other drivers were used to spot law-enforcement vehicles and to protect against rival smugglers forcing them off the road in an attempt to kidnap and extort their customers.

The smugglers also paid cooks to serve food in the drophouses, Piano said.

Once the immigrants were in a drophouse and payments were made, drivers were hired to bring the immigrants to spots across the country, authorities said.

Those indicted include Suarez-Lemus of Peoria; Ayala Fernandez of Phoenix; Mayeline Diaz Dominguez, 35, of Peoria; Odalis Arenas Fernandez, 40, of Phoenix; Yoandis Roque-Fernandez, 31, of Phoenix; Gelys Gomez Gallardo, 36, of Phoenix; Juan Carlos Perez-Morodo, 46, of Phoenix; Silvia Lluis Bazail, 54, of Phoenix; Rene Perez, 48, of Bisbee; and Maria Del Carmen Tamayo-Rios, 25, of Phoenix.

Attorney General Terry Goddard, whose office is prosecuting the case, said the investigation has provided insight for future investigations.

"We have details now that we haven't had before," Goddard said.

"I think one of the messages is: We know how you're doing it. We've been able to cut off various parts of this type of organization. . . .

"It's not the end of the game, but we believe we've made some very important intelligence directions in fighting against the smugglers."

The Associated Press contributed to this article.

http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepubli ... 14-ON.html

The role of law enforcement in disrupting these smuggling operations reminds me of similar operations our troops are performing in Iraq. If only our leaders would learn the biggest threat to the USA is on our own borders rather than in Iraq, we'd have the right priorities.