NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – Nine of the 10 members who were part of a New Mexico-based crime ring that smuggled migrants pleaded guilty to federal charges, the Department of Justice announced Monday.
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The members were part of the so-called Lopez Crime Family and admitted to conspiring to bring, harbor, and transport groups of undocumented individuals into and within the United States for financial gain.
According to the DOJ, between October 2021 and April 2023, the individuals operated in Luna County, New Mexico, and would coordinate pickups at the U.S.-Mexico border and move migrants from New Mexico to Arizona. Officials said the group used peer-to-peer money transfer apps to facilitate payments for services…