Major Transnational Operation Dismantles Human Smuggling Ring Linked to 53 Migrant Deaths

In a coordinated effort with the U.S. Justice Department, Guatemalan law enforcement authorities arrested seven individuals and dismantled a human smuggling ring connected to the tragic deaths of 53 migrants in San Antonio two years ago.

In June 2022, the smuggling ring transported dozens of migrants into the U.S., resulting in the deaths of 53 individuals who suffered heat-related injuries after being left in an abandoned tractor-trailer on a rural San Antonio road.

Termed a significant domestic and international operation, Wednesday's arrests are part of a collaborative effort to dismantle human smuggling operations in Guatemala and Central America, as announced by the U.S. Justice Department on Thursday.

"Over the past two years, the Justice Department has worked methodically to hold accountable those responsible for the horrific tragedy in San Antonio that killed 53 people who had been preyed on by human smugglers," said U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland in a statement on Thursday. "With these arrests, the Justice Department and our partners in Guatemala have now arrested a total of 14 people for their alleged involvement in this tragedy."

Six of the individuals arrested on Wednesday face charges in Guatemala. Rigoberto Ramon Miranda-Orozco, 47, has been indicted in U.S. federal court in the Western District of Texas on six counts of human smuggling resulting in bodily injury or death.

Miranda-Orozco is accused of facilitating the transportation of four migrants, charging them between $12,000 and $15,000 for the trip from Guatemala through Mexico to the United States. He faces "maximum penalties of life in prison." Three of the migrants died in the trailer, while a fourth suffered serious bodily injury, according to Miranda-Orozco's indictment.

“This was a complex operation and a major success for the progression of this case — apprehending a key orchestrator of the horrendous smuggling operations in which families were charged thousands of dollars for trusted transport across the U.S. border from Guatemala and other countries,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas in the joint statement on Thursday. “This significant development in the case demonstrates the commitment of this office, the Department of Justice, and our partners at all necessary levels, to ensure all 53 migrants who died in the 2022 tractor-trailer tragedy get their justice.”

According to court documents, the trailer was loaded with 65 migrants and lacked a functioning air conditioner. By the time it arrived in San Antonio, 48 migrants had died, including six children and a pregnant woman.

On the evening of June 27, 2022, a San Antonio city worker discovered the trailer along a rural backroad after hearing a cry for help. Inside, dozens of people were dying or dead from heat-related injuries.

“We are not supposed to open up a truck and see stacks of bodies in there,” San Antonio Fire Department Chief Charles Hood told media at the scene.

Initially, 46 people were declared dead as officials arrived. Sixteen others, including four children, were taken to area hospitals for treatment. Suffering from heat stroke and heat exhaustion, the migrants were "hot to the touch."

“Smugglers prey on migrants and seek profits with complete disregard for human life, as we saw in this tragic incident that killed 53 people,” said U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas. “The men and women at Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Customs and Border Protection work every day to disrupt these sophisticated smuggling networks, and we will continue to work alongside our federal and international partners to dismantle them at every level of operation.”