Brazil police raid group suspected of smuggling Asian migrants to US

Brazil’s Federal Police on Thursday conducted raids in six states targeting a criminal group suspected of smuggling migrants to the United States.

The police said the group lured Asian migrants, primarily from Bangladesh and Nepal, to Sao Paulo International Airport. From there, the suspects led them on dangerous routes to northern Brazil, where they crossed into neighbouring countries, such as Bolivia and Peru, before continuing through Central America to reach the US-Mexico border.

Police say the suspects charged migrants US$10,000 each for the trip and managed a network of people – including taxi drivers, coyotes and hotel employees – who facilitated the illicit journey.

The suspects also falsified migrants’ documents, allowing them to enter Brazil by requesting temporary residence as refugees, according to the police.

An AP investigation in July found migrants passing through the Amazon coming from Bangladesh, Vietnam and India. Many returned to Acre state, on the border with Peru, as US border policies triggered a wait-and-see attitude among them.