Posted on http://infosurhoy.com on March 4, 2014—
“Agents of the Armed Forces and National Migration Institute (INM) detained 1,438 undocumented migrants, the majority of them Guatemalan, during an operation in the southern state of Chiapas, officials said on March 2.
“Operation Soconusco II,” which occurred from Jan. 17 to Feb. 14 in Chiapas, also led to the arrests of 74 other people, including 70 Mexicans, on drug, human trafficking and other charges, the Defense Secretariat, the Navy Secretariat and the INM said in a joint, prepared statement.
Authorities said they “rescued” 955 Guatemalans, 241 Hondurans, 218 Salvadorans, 14 Cubans, six Nicaraguans, a U.S. citizen, a Panamanian, a Dominican and an Ecuadoran.
“Via this interagency operation, we protected and safeguarded the physical integrity and human rights of those who in their transit through Chiapas state were victimized by criminal organizations dedicated to extorting (money from) migrants,” the statement said.
Law enforcement agents also confiscated narcotics, vehicles, chemicals, weapons and cash from the suspects, officials said.
An estimated 300,000 Central Americans undertake the hazardous journey across Mexico each year on their way to the United States.”
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HUMAN RIGHTS SOCIETY 