Smugglers put migrants in suitcases, empty water tanks, U.S. prosecutors allege

The flags of the U.S. and Mexico flutter. REUTERS/Jose Luis Gonzalez

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. authorities unveiled indictments on Tuesday of a lucrative human smuggling operation that allegedly included moving migrants in suitcases and water tanks from the U.S.-Mexico border, as the Biden administration cracks down on groups fueling a record number of border crossings.

Eight people, mostly U.S. citizens, were indicted for their roles in smuggling hundreds of people, some hidden in wooden crates on tractor-trailers with little ventilation, according to U.S. officials and related court documents. Another six co-conspirators were cited in the court record.