Dangerous Human Smuggling Organization, Colombia Friday, Share Facebook — Members of Dangerous Human Smuggling Organization Extradited from Colombia | United States Justice Department.
announcement Members of Dangerous Human Smuggling Organization Extradited from Colombia Friday, December 19, 2025 Share Facebook X LinkedIn Email For Immediate Release Office of Public Affairs Two Colombian nationals made their initial appearance in court in El Paso, Texas yesterday after being extradited from Colombia to face charges relating to their roles in a dangerous human smuggling conspiracy that left 40 aliens and two boat captains missing.In October 2024, a federal grand jury in the Western District of Texas returned an indictment against Hernando Manuel De La Cruz Rivera Orjuela, also known
as Hernan, also known as Manuel, also known as El Patron, 53, and Luis Enrique Linero Pinto, aka El Calvo, 41, of Colombia for conspiring to encourage and induce aliens to come to, enter, and reside in the United States placing lives in jeopardy and in violation of immigration laws of the United States.“These defendants are alleged to have operated a sophisticated human smuggling operation that resulted in the disappearance of 42 people at sea,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. The Attorney General has elevated and expanded JTFA to target
the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating not only in Mexico and the Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras, but also in Canada, the Caribbean and the maritime border, and elsewhere.Led by the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and supported by the Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section, the Office of International Affairs, and the Office of Enforcement Operations, among others, JTFA has dedicated Assistant U.S. and Colombian law enforcement authorities.the charging documents state, the defendants participated in a conspiracy where they were directly and personally