Mexican woman convicted of operating a human trafficking network for 11 years and committing armed robberies against migrants

A Mexican woman identified as Ofelia Hernández Salas, also known as “Doña Lupe” and “La Güera,” was sentenced to 11 years in federal prison for leading an organization dedicated to migrant trafficking for more than a decade. between Mexico and the southern US border, federal authorities reported.

The case, prosecuted in the District of Arizona, exposes a complex human smuggling network that transported hundreds of people from Latin America, Asia, Africa and the Middle East to United States territory through clandestine routes and methods considered highly dangerous by the authorities.

According to the United States Department of Justice, Hernández Salas, originally from Mexicali, Baja California, pleaded guilty of conspiracy and multiple charges related to the illegal entry of foreigners into the United States for profit.

The federal investigation maintains that the network charged tens of thousands of dollars from migrants from countries such as Bangladesh, Pakistan, India, Yemen, Eritrea, Uzbekistan, Russia and Egypt, in addition to citizens of Mexico and Central America seeking to reach the United States.

According to court documents, the migrants traveled extensive routes through South and Central America before arriving in Mexico.. Many crossed through Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala and other countries until they reached the border between Mexico and the United States.

Clandestine crossings and armed robberies

US authorities indicated that the organization used different methods to introduce migrants to the country.. Among them, ladders to climb the border wall, holes under the fence and improvised boards to cross canals and water currents that separate both countries.

However, the case became more relevant due to accusations of violence against the migrants themselves who hired the organization’s services. Federal prosecutors claim that Hernández Salas and his accomplices stole money, cell phones and personal belongings while carrying firearms and knives.

“Transnational human trafficking represents a direct threat to national security,” declared A. Tysen Duva, official in the Criminal Division of the Department of Justice. The official accused the network of putting the lives of hundreds of people at risk and hindering the government’s ability to adequately review the backgrounds of those entering the country.

Investigations also indicate that the organization would have operated for years from hotels and safe houses in Mexicali, using routes coordinated with other traffickers to move migrants to Arizona and California.

Arrest in Mexico and binational cooperation

Hernández Salas was arrested in March 2023 in Mexicali along with her alleged collaborator, Raúl Saucedo-Huipio.following a formal extradition request presented by the US government during the Joe Biden administration.

The capture was the result of a coordinated operation between US and Mexican agencies, including Interpol, the FBI, ICE and Baja California authorities.

The co-defendant remains in federal custody and is scheduled to be sentenced in June 2026.

US authorities reported that, once Hernández Salas completes her sentence, she will be subject to deportation to Mexico.

The case is part of the operations of Joint Task Force Alpha, a US government initiative focused on combating criminal organizations dedicated to human smuggling and trafficking on the southern border. According to official data, this special force has made more than 450 arrests and obtained hundreds of convictions related to international human smuggling networks.

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