On Thursday, Brazil’s Federal Police conducted a series of raids targeting a gang suspected of smuggling illegal Asian migrants into the United States.
Law enforcement authorities in the South American country said seven suspects were arrested in the operation that saw search warrants executed in the states of Acre, Amazonas, Minas Gerias, Rondônia, Roraima, and São Paulo.
Officials alleged the organization typically took custody of the immigrants upon their entry at São Paulo International Airport and then transported them to the U.S.-Mexico border for a fee of $10,000.
Falsified Brazilian travel documents were frequently used to establish temporary refugee status for the arrivals.
The international journey reportedly included a network of individuals, including drivers, hotel employees, and land guides employed by the human traffickers.
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