Mexican authorities find 513 migrants in two trailers

[News_Editor]

Mexican authorities find 513 migrants in two trailers

2011-05-18 07:08:32 GMT+7 (ICT)

MEXICO CITY (BNO NEWS) -- Mexico's Interior Ministry (Segob) on Tuesday announced that 513 migrants from different parts of Central America, the Caribbean, and Asia were rescued in the morning and had been released to the National Migration Institute (INM).

The migrants were rescued from two tractor trailers at the Tuxtla-La Angostura intersection in the southern state of Chiapas by a joint mission carried out by state and federal agents who closely collaborate with INM. The rescued migrants were traveling in 'inhumane' conditions, Segob said, adding that x-ray equipment was vital in the detection of the migrants.

According to the Attorney General of the State of Chiapas, each of the 513 migrants are believed to have paid around $7,000 to be smuggled into the United States.

Among the rescued, there were 32 women and four children, the report said, stating that most of them were from Central America.

The first trailer was carrying 240 people - 211 from Guatemala, 19 from El Salvador, 6 from Ecuador, 3 from China, and one from Japan. The second trailer was carrying 273 people - 199 from Guatemala, 28 from El Salvador, 26 from Ecuador, 12 from India, 6 from Nepal, one from Honduras, and another from the Dominican Republic.

The trailers' drivers were identified as Jesus Margarito Perez, of Comitan, Chiapas, and Armando Perez Hernandez, of San Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas. They are currently under custody were they have been questioned by public prosecutors.

INM said it had contacted consulates and embassies to determine the migrants' nationalities, as they are currently awaiting their return to their home country.

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