Leader of Cross-Border Smuggling Ring Sentenced to 87 Months

Raul Saucedo-Huipio, a 51-year-old Mexican national extradited from Mexico, was sentenced to 87 months in federal prison for his role as a manager in a large alien-smuggling operation that moved well over 200 people from countries across Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and the Americas to the United States between 2018 and 2022; the organization charged tens of thousands of dollars, used intimidation and weapons, and coordinated dangerous crossings (including ladders, fence holes, and a plank over water for a crossing involving three children). Saucedo-Huipio's co-conspirator, Ofelia Hernandez-Salas, pleaded guilty in 2024 and was sentenced to 11 years in May 2026. The case was led by Joint Task Force Alpha, a DOJ-DHS partnership, with assistance from HSI, CBP, FBI, and other agencies, illustrating ongoing efforts to dismantle high-impact human smuggling networks.