Illegal immigrants accused of smuggling aliens from Canada into U.S.

Four Mexican nationals illegally living in the U.S. have been charged in an alleged international human smuggling conspiracy that brought hundreds of illegal immigrants each week across the Canadian border to the U.S. for profit.

Edgar Sanchez-Solis, 23, Ignacio Diaz-Perez, 35, Samuel Diaz-Perez, 26, and Salvador Diaz-Diaz, 32, were charged with conspiracy to bring aliens to the U.S. and 25 counts of bringing aliens illegally to the U.S. for profit, according to a news release from the Justice Department.

All four men were arrested at various locations across the U.S. and detained, according to the release. Ignacio Diaz-Perez and Salvador Diaz-Diaz had previously been deported from the U.S.

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According to court documents, the four men were part of an illegal immigrant smuggling organization that operated for the last two years in Mexico, Canada and the U.S.

In exchange for money, the men allegedly conspired with others to smuggle hundreds of people per week from Mexico, Central America and South America through Canada, into northern New York state, according to documents. They would then be taken further into the U.S.

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The illegal immigrants or their family members paid thousands of dollars to be smuggled across the northern border, authorities alleged.

“These individuals acted in blatant disregard of our nation’s laws, allegedly smuggling hundreds of aliens into the United States for thousands of dollars each,” said Erin Keegan, special agent in charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Buffalo.

On multiple occasions, members of the smuggling organization led local and federal law enforcement officers on high-speed car chases along the U.S. northern border, creating a “grave” public safety risk, according to court documents. 

In April 2023, smugglers allegedly fled the Burke Border Patrol Station’s sector at a high speed after setting off a border sensor. Border agents say they found the smugglers were transporting seven illegal adults and three illegal children.

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In another incident, in August 2023, a vehicle carrying illegal immigrants that was fleeing from Border Patrol traveled into Plattsburgh, New York, according to court documents.

It traveled erratically, passed vehicles in a congested traffic area, ran a red light and struck a vehicle at an intersection. The driver and six illegal immigrants fled the crash site on foot but were eventually caught.

“As alleged, these defendants illegally entered this country and then sought to smuggle hundreds of aliens per week to the United States from Mexico, Central America and South America through the Canadian border,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. 

“The defendants instructed smuggled aliens to make testimonial videos touting the enterprise’s services. In reality, the defendants imperiled their human cargo and innocent American lives when they repeatedly engaged in life-threatening conduct, including multiple high-speed getaways from law enforcement.”

The case was part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and other transnational criminal organizations and protect U.S. communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.