Ringleader of Migrant Smuggling Network with Ties to Sinaloa Cartel Extradited from Mexico to U.S.

Mexican authorities have extradited Raúl Saucedo Huipio, a 49-year-old accused of co-leading a transnational human smuggling operation. Saucedo Huipio was handed over to U.S. agents on February 21 and is set to face charges in the District of Arizona for his alleged role in a sophisticated network that has facilitated illegal border crossings since at least 2018.

Saucedo Huipio's is also believed to be linked to the Sinaloa Cartel and, specifically, to 63-year-old Ofelia Hernández Salas, known as "Doña Lupe," who pleaded guilty in December to leading a transnational human smuggling operation that facilitated the illegal entry of over 100 migrants into the United States. Her sentencing is scheduled for March 2025, and she faces up to 15 years in prison.

According to court documents, Saucedo Huipio collected fees, coordinated lodging, and worked with smugglers across Central America to transport migrants from various countries, including Bangladesh, Yemen, Pakistan, and multiple Latin American nations. Fees for these services ranged between $10,000 and $70,000 per person. In addition to facilitating crossings, he and his associates reportedly robbed migrants at gunpoint, seizing money and personal belongings.

Saucedo Huipio was originally arrested in Mexico in March 2023 following a U.S. extradition request. His transfer to U.S. custody marks a significant development in ongoing efforts to dismantle human smuggling operations along the U.S.-Mexico border. U.S. authorities credited their Mexican counterparts:

"The Justice Department thanks its Mexican law enforcement partners, who were instrumental in arresting Saucedo-Huipio, and the Mexican Attorney General's Office and the Mexican Foreign Ministry for making the extradition possible"

The case against Saucedo Huipio and Hernández Salas was developed under Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA), an initiative led by the DOJ and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to combat human smuggling in Central America and Mexico. Since its inception, JTFA has resulted in over 355 arrests and 300 convictions related to human trafficking and smuggling.