< back
MORE REVELATIONS IN CHINESE SMUGGLING RING
According to law enforcement sources, the smuggling ring discovered last week may be even larger than initially suspected.  While authorities first believed only China, Canada and the US were involved, authorities now suspect it also operated in Central America.  They say that the leaders of the smuggling ring, most of who are believed to work in high-ranking positions in the Chinese government, attempted to bribe government officials in Guatemala to obtain Mexican visas. 
A courier package containing Chinese passports in which the Mexican visas would have been placed was discovered by Canada Customs in Toronto. The custom officials then passed the information over to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the Canadian national law enforcement agency.  The RCMP then began an investigation into the Canadians to whom the package was addressed.  They discovered that the Canadian involved had been arranging for the passage of the Chinese into the US and Canada. 
A total of five Canadians have been charged by US authorities with conspiracy to smuggle aliens and bribery.  If convicted, they face up to 15 years in prison and fines up to 0,000. 
The people smuggled paid up to ,000 for the fraudulent documents and transportation.  Many ended up in large US cities working in conditions approaching slavery.  A number were also forced into prostitution.