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

Migrants who are believed to have crossed the border from Mexico into the United States after leaving their homes in Mexico, Guatemala or Colombia are seen inside wooden boxes after the flatbed truck carrying the boxes was interdicted by law enforcement officers in Texas, in this undated police photo submitted into evidence in U.S. District Court as part of a series of indictments of alleged human smugglers in Laredo, Texas, U.S. September 13, 2022. U.S. Justice Department/Handout via 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.