Accused Human Smuggling Organization Leader Extradited To San Diego

SAN DIEGO, CA — The alleged leader of a "prolific" human smuggling organization has been extradited to San Diego, where he faces federal charges for allegedly bringing hundreds of migrants into the United States, the U.S. Attorney's Office said Tuesday.

Prosecutors say Luis Antonio Mendez-Brahan, 55, of Tijuana, ran a smuggling organization for nearly a decade that charged migrants between $6,000 and $8,000 to be smuggled across the border.

The U.S. Attorney's Office said financial transactions conducted by Mendez-Brahan's children in the United States were tracked to money service businesses in Tijuana, which led law enforcement to Mendez-Brahan.

Three of his children -- ages 24 to 31 -- have already pleaded guilty and been sentenced for roles in their father's alleged smuggling operation. Mendez-Brahan was indicted by a grand jury in 2019, but was at large at the time.

— City News Service