Arizona woman smuggled hundreds of illegal immigrants across border for 15K each: police
September 25, 2022
An Arizona woman is accused of smuggling hundreds of illegal immigrants into the US after they coughed up as much as $15,000 a pop to get across the border, authorities say.
Tania Estudillo Hernandez allegedly smuggled between 80 and 100 migrants a month into the country for six months before she was arrested Friday.
El Mirage police said its investigation showed that the undocumented immigrants were charged as much as $15,000 to get into the US.
On Friday El Mirage police got a call from a woman tipping them off about a group of people, including her husband, that was being held for ransom at a home near the 12000 block of West Dahlia Drive in El Mirage.
Officers saw a car leave the home and stopped the driver, 24-year-old Tania Estudillo Hernandez, as she was transporting a Guatemalan national. Officers arrested Hernandez at the scene of the traffic stop.
As they were arresting Hernandez police say two smugglers left the home on West Dahlia with 10 undocumented immigrants. Their whereabouts are still unknown.
Tania Estudillo Hernandez was arrested for allegedly smuggling between 80 and 100 migrants into the country per month for the last six months.
As part of the investigation, Hernandez, 24, was arrested during a traffic stop while transporting a Guatemalan national, police said.
Authorities said a search of the home recovered a semiautomatic rifle, two handguns, ammunition, ledgers that indicated human smuggling and other evidence connected to the operation.
Evidence also showed that Hernandez managed and directed the operation, police said.
Hernandez was charged with kidnapping, money laundering, illegally conducing participation in an illegal enterprise and conspiracy.
EMPD and the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs are continuing to investigate this crime.
https://nypost.com/2022/09/25/arizona-woman-s...ch-police/
September 25, 2022
An Arizona woman is accused of smuggling hundreds of illegal immigrants into the US after they coughed up as much as $15,000 a pop to get across the border, authorities say.
Tania Estudillo Hernandez allegedly smuggled between 80 and 100 migrants a month into the country for six months before she was arrested Friday.
El Mirage police said its investigation showed that the undocumented immigrants were charged as much as $15,000 to get into the US.
On Friday El Mirage police got a call from a woman tipping them off about a group of people, including her husband, that was being held for ransom at a home near the 12000 block of West Dahlia Drive in El Mirage.
Officers saw a car leave the home and stopped the driver, 24-year-old Tania Estudillo Hernandez, as she was transporting a Guatemalan national. Officers arrested Hernandez at the scene of the traffic stop.
As they were arresting Hernandez police say two smugglers left the home on West Dahlia with 10 undocumented immigrants. Their whereabouts are still unknown.
Tania Estudillo Hernandez was arrested for allegedly smuggling between 80 and 100 migrants into the country per month for the last six months.
As part of the investigation, Hernandez, 24, was arrested during a traffic stop while transporting a Guatemalan national, police said.
Authorities said a search of the home recovered a semiautomatic rifle, two handguns, ammunition, ledgers that indicated human smuggling and other evidence connected to the operation.
Evidence also showed that Hernandez managed and directed the operation, police said.
Hernandez was charged with kidnapping, money laundering, illegally conducing participation in an illegal enterprise and conspiracy.
EMPD and the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs are continuing to investigate this crime.
https://nypost.com/2022/09/25/arizona-woman-s...ch-police/
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