In a significant operation, Guatemalan authorities conducted a raid on a compound belonging to the Lev Tahor sect, rescuing over 160 children and teenagers suspected to be victims of human trafficking and other crimes.
Authorities Act Against Alleged Human Trafficking in Guatemala's Jewish Sect
Authorities Act Against Alleged Human Trafficking in Guatemala's Jewish Sect
Guatemalan officials raid Lev Tahor compound, rescuing minors believed to be trafficking victims.
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In a bold move on Friday, Guatemalan officials raided a compound associated with the Lev Tahor ultra-Orthodox Jewish sect, suspected of past child exploitation scandals. Prosecutors revealed that at least 160 minors were removed from the site, believed to be victims of human trafficking and a variety of other criminal offenses.
Dimas Jiménez y Jiménez, a regional prosecutor, reported no arrests had been made during the operation, yet indicated that the authorities are considering serious charges, including human trafficking, forced pregnancy, mistreatment of minors, and rape. He speculated that these crimes were likely committed by one member of the community. Nancy Lorena Paiz García, the special prosecutor for human trafficking, disclosed that investigators had also discovered bodies buried on the premises. Although they lack evidence indicating that the sect used local cemeteries, they were alerted to potential deaths of minors that necessitate further investigation.
The raid was initiated after four non-Guatemalan minors escaped from the Lev Tahor community in November and informed authorities. Through their testimonies and medical evaluations, “we could establish that these minors have indeed experienced forms of human trafficking,” explained Ms. Paiz García during a press briefing.
The operation involved nearly 480 police officers, soldiers, prosecutors, and psychologists who descended on the gated community early Friday morning to safely extract the children. Authorities also confiscated electronic devices, including computers and smartphones, while searching for evidence of child pornography, deploying dogs to identify any buried human remains.
This operation marks a continuation of Guatemalan authorities' efforts to investigate the reclusive Lev Tahor community, comprised of approximately 500 members living on a secluded farm enclosed by walls and secured gates in the Santa Rosa department, adjacent to Guatemala's border with Mexico.
In a bold move on Friday, Guatemalan officials raided a compound associated with the Lev Tahor ultra-Orthodox Jewish sect, suspected of past child exploitation scandals. Prosecutors revealed that at least 160 minors were removed from the site, believed to be victims of human trafficking and a variety of other criminal offenses.
Dimas Jiménez y Jiménez, a regional prosecutor, reported no arrests had been made during the operation, yet indicated that the authorities are considering serious charges, including human trafficking, forced pregnancy, mistreatment of minors, and rape. He speculated that these crimes were likely committed by one member of the community. Nancy Lorena Paiz García, the special prosecutor for human trafficking, disclosed that investigators had also discovered bodies buried on the premises. Although they lack evidence indicating that the sect used local cemeteries, they were alerted to potential deaths of minors that necessitate further investigation.
The raid was initiated after four non-Guatemalan minors escaped from the Lev Tahor community in November and informed authorities. Through their testimonies and medical evaluations, “we could establish that these minors have indeed experienced forms of human trafficking,” explained Ms. Paiz García during a press briefing.
The operation involved nearly 480 police officers, soldiers, prosecutors, and psychologists who descended on the gated community early Friday morning to safely extract the children. Authorities also confiscated electronic devices, including computers and smartphones, while searching for evidence of child pornography, deploying dogs to identify any buried human remains.
This operation marks a continuation of Guatemalan authorities' efforts to investigate the reclusive Lev Tahor community, comprised of approximately 500 members living on a secluded farm enclosed by walls and secured gates in the Santa Rosa department, adjacent to Guatemala's border with Mexico.
