Networks involved in migrants smuggling from Colombia to Central American countries and the United States had a hard blow

• Two structures had a hard blow with the arrest and prosecution of 13 of its alleged members.
• Among those prosecuted is a public servant appointed to the Governor’s Office in San Andrés and the Office of Control, Circulation and Residence (Oficina de Control de Circulación y Residencia (OCCRE) in spanish), accused of facilitating the irregular entry of foreigners to the archipelago.

The Attorney General’s Office, in a joint action with DIJIN of the National Police and U.S. agencies, identified and achieved the arrest of 13 of the alleged members of two criminal networks accused of facilitating the irregular transit and departure of migrants through the Golfo de Urabá and San Andrés Island to continue their way to Central American countries and the United States.

Prosecutors from the Specialized Directorate against Human Rights Violations brought these people before judges, and charged them with aggravated conspiracy to commit crimes and migrant trafficking.

Nine of the defendants would be part of a criminal group that welcomed Haitians, Cubans and Asians, among other foreigners of different nationalities, in Medellín (Antioquia).  They allegedly provided them with accomodation, food and land transportation to Golfo de Urabá, where they were transported onto fast boats to take them to Panama for sums ranging from 200 to 450 dollars.

Those allegedly accused of these illegal activities must remain deprived of their liberty in their places of residence.

The evidence shows that the other four people investigated would belong to an illegal structure that would be involved in the air transport of Chinese citizens from Medellín to San Andrés Islands, to later move them to Nicaragua by sea.

The people involved are a Nicaraguan citizen and three Colombian nationals, among them a woman working for the Governor’s Office in San Andrés, Deabreach Nasstasja Pomare Stephens, and the public servant of Office of Control of Circulation and Residence, Jeffry Allen Christopher Thyme, who allegedly allowed the irregular entry of migrants to the archipelago and authorized their stay, while their departure by boat to Central America was arranged.

These four people must serve a prison sentence.

The Office of the Attorney General makes this information public for reasons of general interest.

The information contained in this press release corresponds to the narration of the objective news provided by the officials in charge of carrying out criminal investigations within the Office of the Attorney General. By the time this communication is disclosed, the legal status of the people mentioned is still pending to be resolved by the competent judicial authority, always under the presumption of innocence contemplated by Article 29 of the Political Constitution and Article 7 of Law 906 of 2004.