Thread: Woman held in smuggling of 6 kids

Woman held in smuggling of 6 kids
By Dale Quinn
arizona daily star
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 04.12.2008

A woman was arrested Wednesday on suspicion that she tried to smuggle six children into the United States through Nogales using phony documents, according to a news release.
A federal officer began questioning the woman, 48, about 6 p.m. but grew suspicious and referred the group for further inspection, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection press release said.
When authorities questioned everyone and took a closer look at the documents, they realized they didn't belong to the children, who weren't allowed into the United States, according to the release.
"They were genuine border crossing cards that did not belong to the children," said Brian Levin, a Customs and Border Protection spokesman.
The woman was from Nogales, Sonora, Levin said. Her immigration status was not immediately available, he said.
Officials weren't able to reach family members of the children — who are from Mexico and range in age from 5 to 13 — so they were turned over to the Mexican Consulate in Nogales.
"We're very concerned about the kids' welfare" when they cross the border, Levin said.
The woman was arrested on suspicion of alien smuggling, and the case was handed to the U.S. Attorney's Office. The woman was not identified in the press release.
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Officials weren't able to reach family members of the children — who are from Mexico and range in age from 5 to 13 — so they were turned over to the Mexican Consulate in Nogales

When I read such articles I wonder if the children were intended to join parents already present in the U.S. or if the Mexican families sold their children to a child sex ring, child servant ring, or something else of a sinister nature.

The motives of the smuggler needs further investigation.