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Mexican Cartel Nets $100K for Smuggling Three Chinese Nationals into Texas
[Breitbart] Three Chinese nationals were encountered crossing the border in South Texas by Border Patrol agents and Texas Department of Public Safety Highway Patrol troopers. Each reportedly paid Mexican cartel smugglers $35,000 to be ferried to Mission, Texas, on Tuesday.According to a spokesperson for the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), the arrests were part of a joint operation conducted in the Rio Grande Valley with Border Patrol. According to the DPS, a recent cold front did little to stem the flow of migrant crossings near Mission. In the first few days of the operation, several arrests were noted, including human smuggling guides, and several gang members in addition to the three Chinese nationals. The Gulf Cartel controls most of the crossing points from Reynosa, Mexico, into Mission. They also hold other Mexican cities across the border from the Texas. Despite recent skirmishes with the Cartel del Noreste (CDN) faction of Los Zetas, they continue to maintain firm control over major crossing points in the region. Although they are not exclusively in the business of human trafficking, they do control anyone trying to illicitly cross the border. Migrants are charged a “piso” or fee to cross. The fee may vary based on a migrant’s nationality. The three Chinese nationals paid significantly more than those coming from Mexico or Central America. In a 2019 Rand Corporation study, fees paid to cartels for crossing the Rio Grande were estimated between $300 and $700 per migrant and only covers access to the immediate border area. Local guides may collect another fee of roughly $100 per migrant to use inflatable rafts. These fees are not inclusive of the journey from the home country. Once paid, migrants are provided a multi-colored bracelet as proof of payment. Different colors distinguish between how many crossings the migrant has selected. In the first three months of the current fiscal year, more than 84,000 migrants made landfall in the Rio Grande Valley. Based on the lowest estimate of fees charged for migrant crossings, the Gulf Cartel has seen more than $30 million in proceeds during the period. Related: Rio Grande Valley: 2022-12-16 RGV Agents Interdict Third Largest Methamphetamine Seizure in USBP History Rio Grande Valley: 2022-12-14 Texas governor launches new border task force to track and apprehend gotaways Rio Grande Valley: 2022-11-04 204K Migrants Apprehended in First Month of New Year ‐ Up 28 Percent from Last October Related: Texas Department of Public Safety Highway Patrol: 2021-12-26 Smugglers Move Migrants into Texas on Christmas Eve Texas Department of Public Safety Highway Patrol: 2021-12-20 PHOTOS: 600 Migrants Enter West Texas Border Town in One Day Texas Department of Public Safety Highway Patrol: 2021-10-24 PHOTOS: Texas National Guard Blocks Border Crossing as Wall Construction Continues Related: Gulf Cartel: 2022-10-29 'Dog runs down street with a HUMAN HEAD in its mouth after snatching it from grisly crime scene where human remains were dumped at Mexican ATM booth with message warning 'the next head is yours' Gulf Cartel: 2022-10-10 Hacktivists Expose Ties Between Mexico's Government, Cartels Gulf Cartel: 2022-10-10 Cartel Gunmen Leave Dismembered Body near Texas Border with Message to Mexican Army Posted by: Skidmark 2023-02-03 |
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