Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08GUADALAJARA49
2008-02-08 17:03:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Consulate Guadalajara
Cable title:  

DHS/STATE HOSTS REGIONAL CONFERENCE ON SMUGGLING AND

Tags:  PGOV PHUM PREL SMIG KCRM MX XM XS 
pdf how-to read a cable
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FM AMCONSUL GUADALAJARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0554
INFO RUEHZI/WHA IM POSTS COLLECTIVE
RUEHME/AMEMBASSY MEXICO 1765
RUCNCAN/ALL CANADIAN POSTS COLLECTIVE
RUEHXC/ALL USCONS MEXICO
RUEHGD/AMCONSUL GUADALAJARA 4602
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 GUADALAJARA 000049 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR WHA/MEX

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL SMIG KCRM MX XM XS
SUBJECT: DHS/STATE HOSTS REGIONAL CONFERENCE ON SMUGGLING AND
TRAFFICKING OF PERSONS

REF: MEXICO 199

GUADALAJAR 00000049 001.2 OF 002


Summary
-------

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 GUADALAJARA 000049

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR WHA/MEX

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL SMIG KCRM MX XM XS
SUBJECT: DHS/STATE HOSTS REGIONAL CONFERENCE ON SMUGGLING AND
TRAFFICKING OF PERSONS

REF: MEXICO 199

GUADALAJAR 00000049 001.2 OF 002


Summary
--------------


1. Summary: In January, DHS and State's Bureau of Population,
Refugees, and Migration (PRM) hosted a seminar within the
framework of the Regional Conference on Migration (RCM) in
Manzanillo, Mexico. The workshop focused on best practices in
the prosecution of human smugglers and traffickers in Central
and North America. During the conference, joint U.S.-Mexico
programs were lauded for several successful criminal
prosecutions. In addition, the conference identified various
trends across the region: 1) Smugglers and traffickers are
increasingly relying on imposters with genuine documents to
transport persons as documents are harder to counterfeit and
border security has intensified; 2) Governments are applying
improved biometric technology and real-time databases of
information to catch habitual criminals; and 3) Immigration
agencies are utilizing training programs so that they can better
identify and provide proper assistance to victims. Participants
pledged to follow up on conference initiatives, specifically
with Mexico's offer to train other countries on cross-border
investigations within the broader RCM framework. End Summary.

U.S.-Mexico Joint Initiatives
--------------


2. Mexico's Deputy Attorney General (Subprocurador Jurmdico y de
Asuntos Internacionales, Procuraduria General de la Republica),
Mr. Jose Luis Santiago Vasconselos, opened the conference
highlighting the success of the U.S.-Mexico border security
program called OASISS (Operation Against Smugglers Initiative on
Safety and Security). Since 2003, this program has dismantled
organized crime and smuggling rings and increased protection of
migrants from smugglers. Vasconselos emphasized the two-way
cooperation and confidence needed to establish and foster this
program. OASISS maintains a real-time database of information
and is operational across nearly all border states except the
Texas border with Tamaulipas (due to the Gulf Narcotics Cartel's

presence there). Nearly 500 indictments have been handed down
in Baja California, Sonora, and Chihuahua as a result of these
joint investigations and increased judicial cooperation on both
sides of the border. Given this success, Mexico offered to
train other countries on how to implement a similar program.


3. Successful joint investigations have also occurred away from
the border between ICE and Mexican authorities. Amembassy
Mexico City's Acting ICE Attache Juan Estrada reviewed a number
of successful cases involving the trafficking of women from
Argentina and Hungary to Mexico, a minor Mexican child
trafficked to South Carolina, and an internal Mexican
trafficking case involving middle to upper class Mexicans
involved in risque modeling.

Recognizing Smuggling/Trafficking Victims
--------------


4. Due to Mexico's geography, the country is a transit point for
many smuggling and trafficking victims, according to Mexico's
Director of Migratory Control Mr. Alejandro Martinez Vera. Many
trafficking victims come from China, Slovakia, Ecuador,
Argentina, El Salvador, and Honduras. About 81% of these
trafficking victims are forced into the sex trade, while 19% are
forced into general labor. Mexico is working on both
investigations of these crimes as well as victim assistance. In
2007, Mexico trained 300 employees from the Instituto de
Migracion (Migration Institute) and 170 other government
employees on recognizing and assisting trafficking victims. In
November 2007, Mexico passed a law criminalizing trafficking of
persons with sentences ranging from 6 to 18 years and entitling
victims to recoup therapy, lost income, and transport costs
(reftel).


5. Mr. Tim Kimpan from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
highlighted certain characteristics to look for when identifying
smuggling and trafficking persons. He noted that holiday groups
and sports teams are often used as covers to move large groups
of people. Smuggled persons usually lack detailed knowledge of
their trip, have limited funds, and carry too much or too little
luggage. Trafficking victims usually have limited knowledge of
their trip, do not have documentation, do not speak on their own
behalf, have injuries/scars, have intimidated body language,
suffer from malnutrition, purchased tickets in cash right before
travel, and frequently move from location to location. Kimpan
stated it is often difficult to identify these groups due to the
mobility and adaptability of organized rings and lack of trust
from victims.

GUADALAJAR 00000049 002.2 OF 002



Recruitment Mechanisms for Trafficking
--------------


6. Most trafficking victims are lured into trouble with false
promises of education, tourism, or romance according to DHS/ICE
presenters. Creative stories are presented by organized groups
who seek out victims through intermediaries such as travel
agents and corrupt government officials. These intermediaries
assist victims with visas and other documentation. Most of
these victims end up forced into labor at exotic dance clubs,
massage parlors, adult book stores, construction sites, or
restaurants.

Fraud and Biometric Trends
--------------


7. As fraud continues, governments are trying to implement
biometric technology to combat this phenomenon. The United
States has operated the US VISIT program since 2004, taking
photos and fingerprints of about 100 million visitors to the
United States annually. US VISIT has proven to be a valuable
tool in identifying alien smugglers who use multiple identities.
DHS realizes that they are failing to identify criminals due to
the lack of U.S. exit controls, but are still evaluating the
logistical implementation of such a program. U.S. officials
stated that the overwhelming majority of fraud encountered
involved imposters on real documents, as it is getting harder to
alter documents and cross the border illegally. Some trends
involve Chinese posing as Japanese, middle aged Asian
individuals posing as elderly persons in wheelchairs, Brazilians
using stolen Portuguese passports, Peruvians using altered
Italian passports, and a variety of nationals using stolen
Spanish passports. Many Iraqis are also being smuggled into the
United States via Latin America and Mexico. Mexico noted that
many valid Mexican passports are stolen and used by criminals,
as the document itself is hard to alter or falsify. Honduras
and other countries are working to improve the security of their
passports, but many countries are still challenged at local
level by civil registry lists of dubious validity.

Conference Specifics
--------------


8. Amembassy Mexico City's U.S. Customs and Border Protection
and State's PRM bureau jointly hosted the RCM workshop in
Manzanillo, Colima, Mexico from January 15-17, 2008. The
conference theme focused on best practices in the prosecution of
traffickers and migrant smugglers. This meeting was held to
fulfill an RCM commitment under the 2007 USG Presidency under
the theme, "Effective Cooperation in Combating Trafficking in
Persons." Other topics not specifically mentioned included
victim protection/services and public awareness campaigns. The
conference organizers emphasized the need to take a
comprehensive approach to investigations/prosecutions (e.g.,
from victims assistance to victims providing useful
investigation information) and the need for follow-up on
conference initiatives. About 40 participants from the
following countries and organizations were in attendance: United
States, Mexico, Canada, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, El
Salvador, Dominican Republic, IOM (International Organization
for Migration),UNHCR (Office of the U.N. High Commissioner on
Refugees) and UNODC (U.N. Office of Drugs and Crime). Honduras,
as RCM President Pro-Tempore will host the next Vice-Ministerial
meeting, with a theme of human rights and security, during which
follow-up activities to this meeting will be considered.

Comment
--------------


9. Given these recent smuggling and trafficking trends, Consular
sections in Central and North America should be on the lookout
for more potential intending emigrants and trafficking victims
at visa and passport windows. Consular officers should be aware
of how to identify these applicants as more of them seek
legitimate travel documents to enter the United States, or
attempt to impersonate legitimate document holders.


10. This cable was cleared by State/PRM and Amembassy Mexico
City's DHS/CBP office.
RAMOTOWSKI