Mexico Nabs Alleged Chinese Migrant Smuggler

July 28: A U.S. Border Patrol vehicle drives along the fence separating the U.S. from Mexico, near Nogales, Sonora, Mexico. (AFP)

MEXICO CITY -- Mexican federal police have captured the suspected leader of a gang that trafficked Chinese migrants through Mexico to the U.S.

The Public Safety Department says Huang Chen Yaowei was arrested after a joint investigation with U.S. Customs and Border Patrol. Another suspect, Zhendi Li, was arrested in New York.

A department statement Friday alleges Huang charged $80,000 to move groups of Chinese illegally to the U.S. Accomplices brought the migrants from China to Mexico, where they were put up in hotels while awaiting fake passports.

The federal police detained eight Chinese migrants in the raid to arrest Huang. They also seized more than $70,000 in U.S. and Mexican currency.

The statement doesn't say when Huang was arrested.