Six bodies found north of Ciudad Juárez in a region tied to migrant smuggling
The bodies of six people believed to be involved in drug trafficking networks were discovered Thursday north of Ciudad Juárez, according to the Chihuahua state Attorney General. At around 10:40 a.m. local time, the State Public Safety Secretariat received information about the location along the dirt road on the highway from San Jerónimo to Casas Grandes. At this time, authorities could not confirm the victims’ genders, ages, or the exact causes of death.
Witnesses described the scene as containing corpses wrapped in blankets, with signs of violence observed by investigators who arrived to document the site. An official with the State Security Commission noted that posters bearing a stark message appeared on the spot, indicating, This is what happens to smugglers. In regional terminology, smugglers often refer to people who guide migrants through dangerous routes, including those attempting to cross into the United States.
Officials and researchers have long tracked how migrant smuggling operates in the region. A report from the Federal Interior Secretariat drew attention to the economics behind smuggling, noting the substantial revenue generated by smuggling networks in recent years. The report highlighted that many irregular crossers rely on guides, sometimes called polleros, to navigate the route from Central America and the Mexican interior toward the southern border with the United States. These dynamics have a direct impact on the safety and experiences of the migrants involved, as routes through remote stretches and hazardous terrain can carry serious risks.
In a broader context, Mexico has seen persistent immigration pressures and evolving enforcement at its northern border. U.S. authorities have reported substantial levels of unauthorized crossings in past years, reflected in periods when border enforcement data showed large numbers of encounters and apprehensions. The interplay between migration flows and policy responses continues to shape the daily realities faced by people seeking safer passage and by the communities along the frontier.