Arizona woman is arrested for smuggling immigrants across the border. She was smuggling 80-100 immigrants per month and charging them $15,000 each. She reportedly made $7.2-$9 million in the last 6 months doing so.
Tania Estudillo Hernandez, 24, was caught after a traffic stop while transporting a Guatemalan national.
When authorities learned that someone was being held for ransom at a residence in the city, it alerted them to Hernandez’s scheme.
Two smugglers escaped Hernandez’s home with 10 undocumented immigrants while the police were conducting the traffic stop.
A semi-automatic rifle, two pistols, ammo, ledgers that suggested human smuggling, and other items were found during a second search of the house, according to officials.
The ledgers showed Hernandez ran and oversaw the business, according to the police.
She is being jailed in the Maricopa County Jail on charges of kidnapping, money laundering, unlawfully encouraging involvement in an illicit operation and conspiracy.
