5 Guatemalans Charged by US Authorities in Connection to Deadly 2021 Mexico Truck Accident

December 10, 2024 TruthUSA

Guatemalan Interior Minister Francisco Jiménez indicated that the men were part of a criminal network known as ‘Los Quinos.’

According to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), five Guatemalans have been apprehended in connection to the 2021 semi-trailer truck crash that led to the deaths of over 50 illegal immigrants.

The arrests of the suspected human traffickers occurred in Guatemala and Texas.

On the third anniversary of the tragic crash, it was revealed that a semi-trailer truck transporting 160 migrants, mostly Guatemalan nationals, crashed near Tuxtla Gutierrez in Chiapas, Mexico, on its way to the United States. The incident also resulted in over 100 migrants sustaining injuries.

Tomas Quino Canil, Alberto Marcario Chitic, Oswaldo Manuel Zavala Quino, and Josefa Quino Canil De Zavala were detained by Guatemalan authorities, while another suspect, Jorge Agapito Ventura, was apprehended in Cleveland, Texas.

They have been charged with various offenses related to the conspiracy to smuggle migrants into the U.S., endangering lives, causing severe bodily harm, and leading to fatalities.

Although the indictment mentioned the arrest of six individuals in connection to the incident, only five arrests were officially announced by the DOJ.

These individuals were accused of conspiring with other smugglers to transport migrants from Guatemala into the U.S. through Mexico in exchange for payments from October 2021 to February 2023.

Prosecutors mentioned that the smugglers used the Facebook Messenger app to communicate and facilitate the trafficking operation, including arranging identification documents for the undocumented immigrants.

The migrants were transported using various means such as by foot, microbuses, cattle trucks, and tractor trailers. The smuggling activities even involved minors who were provided with instructions on what to say if caught by authorities.

Some of the migrants recruited by the suspects were victims of the 2021 truck crash in Chiapas, according to the DOJ.

In a press release, Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas condemned human smugglers for their ruthless and dangerous actions, emphasizing that intending migrants should not fall for their deception.

Francisco Jiménez, the Guatemalan Interior Minister, mentioned that the individuals were associated with a criminal network called “Los Quinos,” which trafficked illegal immigrants to the U.S.

Jiménez disclosed that the suspects were among those captured during 15 raids conducted by Guatemalan authorities, with the U.S. requesting their extradition.

“The outcomes illustrate Guatemala’s dedication to security and justice, confronting these dangers with the full force of the State,” he stated in a statement, expressing readiness to collaborate with international partners in combatting organized crime.

All the indicted individuals are facing charges in the Southern District of Texas, but it is unclear whether they have legal representation at this time.

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