April 7 (UPI) — Mexican authorities arrested Remigio Valdez Lao in Cancun, identifying him as a suspected key operator of a criminal network that smuggled migrants into the United States, regional media reported.
The suspect, who goes by “El Milo,” is subject to an extradition order issued by the United States for human trafficking, drug trafficking and international smuggling offenses.
The arrest occurred Monday in one of the main tourist destinations in the Mexican Caribbean after coordinated intelligence work among the Secretariat of the Navy, the Attorney General’s Office, the Army and the National Guard, according to Mexico’s Security Cabinet.
Authorities said “El Milo” served as the operational and financial coordinator of the organization known as the Cuban-American Mafia and oversaw illegal migrant transportation routes and financial flows linked to these operations.
During the operation, agents also detained a second person, identified as Joseline “N,” and seized 38 doses of marijuana and a gray pickup truck.
According to information published by Milenio magazine and confirmed by federal authorities, the suspect was considered a priority target in Quintana Roo. El Milo was immediately transferred to Mexico City to advance the extradition process requested by U.S. authorities.
Judicial reports in the United States, notably from the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, identify a structure known as the “Cuban Mafia in Quintana Roo,” dedicated to moving Cuban migrants to the United States through Mexico.
According to those investigations, the organization demanded payments of up to $10,000 per person.
Case files indicate that, if payment were not received, migrants were detained, threatened and forced to contact their relatives to obtain money.
In some cases, members of the group sent photos and videos to pressure payment. If families paid, the victims were released and sent toward the U.S. border to seek asylum.
The U.S. Department of Justice has said that this type of network operates in several countries, including Mexico, Cuba, Spain and the United States, and generates profits through human trafficking and extortion schemes.
Mexico has become a key transit country for migrants, especially Cubans, seeking to reach the U.S. southern border.
The case comes amid intensified bilateral cooperation on security matters.
In January, Mexico extradited 37 inmates linked to criminal organizations to the United States, in what analysts consider a significant step to strengthen cooperation between the two countries.
Authorities have not disclosed additional details about the full structure of the network or the total scope of operations attributed to El Milo, whose legal process will continue in the coming weeks.
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