AZ Woman Smuggles more than 80 People a Month Over the Southern Border, Makes $7.2 Million in 6 Months

24-year-old Tania Estudillo Hernandez was arrested on September 23rd and charged with crimes related to a human smuggling enterprise.

In a Facebook post made by the El Mirage Police Department, they disclose that Hernandez had held or processed 80 to 100 illegal immigrants a month at a residence in El Mirage.

The illegal immigrants paid as much as $15,000 each in fees to be smuggled across the border.

According to Epoch Times Hernandez has made $7.2 million in 6 months, writing:

The illegal aliens were charged as much as $15,000 each in smuggling fees, police said. At $15,000 a person, for 80 people per month over six months, that’s a total of $7.2 million.

Police were called around 10 am on the 23rd with a report that someone was being held for ransom at 12604 West Dahlia Drive in El Mirage. The individual making the claim said there were many people kidnapped including her husband.

When responding to the residence, police saw a vehicle leave the home. They stopped the vehicle and arrested suspected human smuggler Tania Estudillo Hernandez.

Hernandez was arrested while transporting a Guatemalan national. The post from El Mirage police states, “The arrest was based on evidence of Money Laundering and Conducting an Illegal Enterprise, violations of Arizona State law. Through the investigation, the EMPD learned 80-100 Undocumented Immigrants were held and or processed in the home monthly for at least six months and charged as much as $15,000 U.S. Currency in smuggling fees.”

While they were stopping the vehicle with Hernadez inside of it, two smugglers and ten illegal immigrants left the home.

A search warrant was executed on the home and a semi-auto rifle, two handguns, ammunition, ledgers documenting human smuggling, and other evidence of human smuggling were seized. One of the handguns was reported stolen out of Phoenix.

Hernandez was booked into Maricopa County Jail on violations of Kidnapping, Money Laundering, Illegally conducting or participating in an illegal enterprise, and Conspiracy.

There was no report of whether or not Hernandez’s operation was connected to any cartels. This is only one small operation that was found out of many out there smuggling humans across our southern border.