Josefa Quino Canil De Zavala, Human Smuggling, Texas 2023
BODY:
In a grim reminder of the human cost of human smuggling, two Guatemalan nationals have pleaded guilty to their roles in a 2021 mass casualty event that left over 50 people dead and more than 100 injured. Josefa Quino Canil De Zavala, 43, and Alberto Marcario Chitic, 32, both of Guatemala, admitted to conspiring with other smugglers to transport illegal aliens, including unaccompanied minors, from Guatemala through Mexico to the United States.
According to court documents, Canil De Zavala and Chitic recruited Guatemalan aliens, collected payment, and arranged for them to travel by foot, inside microbuses, cattle trucks, and tractor-trailers. The aliens paid the duo and their co-conspirators to be smuggled to the United States, with some even being provided with scripted language to use if they were caught by U.S. immigration authorities.
On December 9, 2021, Canil De Zavala, Chitic, and others arranged for the aliens to be loaded into a tractor trailer that was to transport them through Mexico. The vehicle crashed, resulting in the deaths of 56 people, including unaccompanied children. The incident highlighted the reckless disregard for human life shown by human smugglers, who prioritize profits over the safety and well-being of their clients.
"This case is a stark reminder of the devastating consequences of human smuggling," said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department's Criminal Division. "The defendants' actions were motivated by greed, and their negligence led to the loss of countless lives."
The convictions mark a significant victory for law enforcement agencies, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), which worked tirelessly to dismantle the transnational criminal organization responsible for the smuggling operation. The case serves as a warning to those who would seek to exploit vulnerable individuals for profit, and it underscores the importance of continued efforts to combat human smuggling.
Canil De Zavala and Chitic are scheduled to be sentenced at a later date.
Source: Department of Justice