VZCZCXRO0258
RR RUEHCD RUEHGD RUEHHO RUEHMC RUEHNG RUEHNL RUEHRD RUEHRS RUEHTM
DE RUEHME #1201/01 0672220
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 082220Z MAR 07
FM AMEMBASSY MEXICO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5730
INFO RUEHXC/ALL US CONSULATES IN MEXICO COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 11 MEXICO 001201 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KCRM ELAB KFRD KWMN MX PHUM PREF SMIG
SUBJECT: SEVENTH ANNUAL TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS (TIP) REPORT- MEXICO (PA 
 
REF: A. 06 STATE 202745     B. 06 MEXICO 6568     C. 06 MEXICO 3423 
 
 
NOTE: This is the second part of a three part cable. End note. 
 
INVESTIGATION AND PROSECUTION OF TRAFFICKERS 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
¶17. (SBU) QUESTION A. Does the country have a law 
specifically prohibiting trafficking in persons--both for 
sexual and non-sexual purposes (e.g. forced labor)?  If so, 
please specifically cite the name of the law and its date of 
enactment.  Does the law(s) cover both internal and external 
(transnational) forms of trafficking? If not, under what 
other laws can traffickers be prosecuted?  For example, are 
there laws against slavery or the exploitation of 
prostitution by means of force, fraud or coercion?   Are 
these other laws being used in trafficking cases?  Are these 
laws, taken together, adequate to cover the full scope of 
trafficking in persons? Please provide a full inventory of 
trafficking laws, including non-criminal statutes that allow 
for civil penalties against alleged trafficking crimes, 
(e.g., civil forfeiture laws and laws against illegal debt. 
 
POST RESPONSE: In the past year, three states passed 
anti-trafficking laws: Michoacan (June 2006), Chihuahua 
(November 2006) and Guerrero (January 2007). The Chihuahua 
and Guerrero laws are particularly comprehensive anti-TIP 
laws that draw directly from the Palermo Protocol. State laws 
play a particularly important role in Mexico, where the 
federal and state jurisdiction is clearly delineated. Whereas 
the federal authorities can investigate cases of organized 
crime, state authorities are likely to prosecute 
trafficking-related crimes in which there is allegedly no 
involvement of organized crime. While a federal trafficking 
law is critical, state legislation will broaden the 
government's capability, in practice, to prosecute 
trafficking at a local level. 
 
On 20 February 2007, the Senate passed reforms to the law 
against organized crime and corresponding changes to the 
penal code to strengthen the penalties against the 
exploitation of minors. The bill awaits the signature of the 
president. The reforms incur penalties of one to five years 
for those who buy child pornography; 15 years in prison for 
prostituting minors; eight to 15 years for employing the 
forced labor of minors; and four to nine years for exploiting 
minors by forcing them to beg. 
 
Although the senate passed federal anti-trafficking 
legislation in December 2005, it has stalled in the lower 
chamber of congress. Therefore, Mexico must rely on existing 
federal and state criminal statutes to prosecute trafficking 
cases; however, even outside of the three states listed 
above, the government does have the legal instruments 
necessary to combat many aspects of both internal and 
external trafficking. 
 
Mexico's General Population Law, Article 138, makes it a 
federal crime to traffic in undocumented aliens.  The law 
provides that a term of imprisonment shall be imposed on a 
person who for himself or another, for the purpose of 
trafficking, attempts to transport or transports or 
represents that he will transport, Mexicans or foreigners to 
a foreign country without proper documentation, or introduces 
foreigners into Mexico without proper documentation. 
 
Article 365 of the Mexican Penal Code, makes it a federal 
crime to use physical violence, moral suasion, trick or 
intimidation or any other means, for oneself or another, to 
get services or work without payment.  It also punishes any 
arrangement which deprives a person of liberty, or puts him 
or her in conditions of servitude. 
 
Article 366 makes it a crime to transport a minor (under 16 
years of age) outside the country for financial benefit and 
imposes a penalty of three to ten years. 
 
Article 2 of the Federal Law Against Organized Crime 
prohibits three or more people from committing repeated 
violations of Article 366 of the Penal Code and 138 of the 
General Population Law.  This provision allows use of 
techniques for organized crime investigations and 
prosecutions, such as wiretapping; seizure and forfeiture of 
proceeds; and preventive detention.  The time period under 
the statute of limitations is doubled. 
 
Article 201 of the Mexican Penal Code punishes those who 
commit the crime of corruption of minors (less than 18 years 
old).  The crime includes those who oblige minors to commit 
acts of sexual exhibitionism, sexual acts or prostitution. It 
 
MEXICO 00001201  002 OF 011 
 
 
also criminalizes the procurement of minors to induce them to 
commit the acts described above, for the purpose of making 
films and videos for hard copy or for electronic distribution. 
 
The Constitution of the United Mexican States bans slavery 
and prohibits forced labor, which includes forced or bonded 
labor by children.  The minimum legal age to work is 14 years 
of age. 
 
States, where most trafficking-related crimes are prosecuted, 
also have varying laws. PFP provided the following inventory 
of trafficking-related crimes listed by state. NOTE: State 
laws criminalizing "trafficking in persons" do exist, but 
they are not nearly comprehensive Q) or relevant Q) to meet 
the definition of the Palermo Protocol. However, the new 
Michoacan, Chihuahua and Guerrero laws are comprehensive, 
especially the latter two. End note. 
 
Aguascalientes 
-- sexual harassment; articles 120-121; penalty of six months 
to one year; 
-- rape and sexual abuse; articles 124-128; penalty of eight 
months to 14 years; 
-- corruption of minors; articles 191-192; penalty of two to 
six years; 
-- pimping; article 193; penalty of two to eight years; 
-- smuggling of minors; article 133; penalty of four to 10 
years; 
-- illegal deprivation of liberty; articles 136-137; penalty 
of six months to three years; 
 
Baja California Norte 
-- offense to public morality; article 268; penalty of one 
year to seven years; 
-- corruption of minors and disabled; article 261; penalty of 
one to five years; 
-- pimping; articles 265-267; penalty of one to ten years; 
-- sexual abuse; articles 180-181; penalty of two to eight 
years; 
-- rape; articles 176-179; penalty of four to 12 years; 
-- smuggling of minors; article 238; penalty of four to 12 
years; 
 
Baja California Sur 
-- offense to public morality; article 255; penalty of six 
months to five years; 
-- corruption of minors and disabled and child pornography; 
article 256-259; penalty of five to ten years; 
-- pimping and trafficking in persons; article 206-263; 
penalty of two to eight years; 
-- rape; articles 185-189; penalty of five to 10 years; 
-- smuggling of minors; article 254; penalty of two to 10 
years; 
 
Campeche 
-- offense to public morality; article 175; penalty of six 
months to five years; 
-- corruption of minors; article 176-179; penalty of three 
months to eight years; 
-- pimping; articles 180-182; penalty of six months to eight 
years; 
-- attempt upon virtue or rape; article 228-235; penalty of 
three to eight years; 
 
Chiapas 
-- offense to public morality or good customs; instigation of 
prostitution; article 207; penalty of one year to five years; 
-- corruption of minors and disabled; article 208-210; 
penalty of two to five years; 
-- pimping; articles 211-214; penalty of four to eight years; 
-- sexual abuse; articles 180-181; penalty of two to eight 
years; 
-- rape; articles 176-179; penalty of four to 12 years; 
-- sexual harassment, sexual abuse, rape; article 153-158; 
penalty of six to 14 years; 
 
Chihuahua 
-- trafficking in persons; article 198-200; penalty of six to 
18 years; 
-- offense to public morality; article 174; penalty of three 
months to three years; 
-- crimes against the correct upbringing of a minor and 
integral protection the disabled; art. 170-180; one year to 
six years; 
-- pimping; articles 175-176; penalty of three to eight years; 
-- rape; articles 239-241; penalty of six to 20 years; 
-- sexual abuse; articles 245-246; penalty of six months to 
two years; 
-- smuggling of minors and disabled; article 231; penalty of 
two to nine years; 
 
 
MEXICO 00001201  003 OF 011 
 
 
Coahuila 
-- offense to public morality; articles 298-299; penalty of 
three days to four years; 
-- pimping and trafficking of persons; articles 306-308; 
penalty of six months to 14 years; 
 
Colima 
-- offense to public morality; article 154; penalty of six 
months to three years; 
-- corruption of minors; articles 155-157; penalty of one to 
six years; 
-- pimping; articles 158-161; penalty of one to five years; 
-- rape; articles 206-210; penalty of two to 10 years; 
-- dishonest abuses; articles 214-216; penalty of three 
months to three years; 
 
Federal District 
-- corruption of minors and the disabled; articles 183-186; 
penalty of six to ten years; 
-- child pornography; articles 187-188; penalty of six to 14 
years; 
-- pimping, including deprivation of liberty for sexual 
purposes; articles 158-161; penalty of one to five years; 
-- labor exploitation of minors or persons with mental or 
physical disabilities; article 190; penalty of two to six 
years; 
-- sexual abuse; articles 176-178; penalty of two to seven 
years; 
-- assisted procreation, artificial insemination, genetical 
manipulation; articles 149-153; penalty of three to 15 years; 
 
Durango 
-- offense to public morality; article 289; penalty of six 
months to five years; 
-- corruption of minors and disabled; articles 290-293; 
penalty of two to eight years; 
-- pimping; articles 297-299; penalty of three to eight years; 
-- child pornography; articles 294-296; penalty of six to 14 
years; 
-- dishonest abuses; articles 386-387; penalty of one to 
three years; 
-- rape; articles 392-398; penalty of 10 to 15 years; 
 
State of Mexico 
-- offense to public morality; article 204; penalty of two to 
five years; 
-- corruption of minors; articles 205-208; penalty of six 
months to five years; 
-- pimping and trafficking in persons; articles 209-210; 
penalty of four to nine years; 
-- rape; articles 273-274; penalty of five to 11 years; 
 
Guanajuato 
-- smuggling of minors; article 220; penalty of four to 10 
years; 
-- corruption of minors and disabled, sexual exploitation; 
articles 236-239; penalty of six to 15 years; 
-- pimping and prostitution of minors; article 240; penalty 
of four to eight years; 
-- rape; articles 180-184; penalty of four to eight years; 
 
Guerrero 
-- trafficking in persons; article 133; penalty of six to 18 
years; 
-- pimping; article 218; penalty of two to nine years; 
-- offense to public morality; articles 216-217; penalty of 
three to eight years; 
-- crimes against sexual freedom; articles 139-141; penalty 
of eight to 16 years; 
-- dishonest abuses; articles 143-144; penalty of six months 
to seven years; 
-- sexual exploitation ; articles 188-189; penalty of two to 
six years; 
 
Hidalgo 
-- rape; articles 179-181; penalty of five to 12 years; 
-- undesired pregnancy through clinical means; articles 182; 
penalty of two to six years; 
-- lewd acts; articles 183-184; penalty of six months to two 
years; 
-- rape; articles 158-161; penalty of one to five years; 
-- sexual abuse; articles 188-189; penalty of two to seven 
years; 
 
Jalisco 
-- offense to public morality or good customs, instigation of 
prostitution; article 135; penalty of three months to two 
years; 
-- corruption of minors and child pornography; articles 
136-138; penalty of three to 15 years; 
-- pimping; articles 139-141; penalty of four to nine years; 
 
MEXICO 00001201  004 OF 011 
 
 
-- rape; article 194; penalty of 10 to 18 years; 
 
Michoacan 
-- trafficking in persons; articles 168; penalty of eight to 
14 years; 
-- offense to public morality; articles 162-163; penalty of 
three months to two years; 
-- corruption of minors; articles 164-168; penalty of two to 
six years; 
-- pimping; articles 167; penalty of two to eight years; 
-- rape; articles 240-242; penalty of 10 to 20 years; 
-- smuggling in persons and kidnapping; articles 229-232; 
penalty of 15 to 40 years; 
-- pimping, corruption of minors, sexual tourism and child 
pornography; penalty of up to 12 years 
 
Morelos 
-- offense to public morality; article 213; penalty of six 
months to three years; 
-- corruption of minors and the disabled; article 213; 
penalty of two to eight years; 
-- corruption of minors; article 211-212; penalty of two to 
six years; 
-- pimping and trafficking in persons; article 213; penalty 
of six months to three years; 
-- sexual abuse and rape; articles 161-162; penalty of two to 
five years; 
-- rape; articles 152-156; penalty of 20 to 25 years; 
 
Nayarit 
-- offense to public morality or good customs, instigation of 
prostitution; articles 198-199; penalty of three months to 
two years; 
-- corruption of minors; articles 200-202; penalty of one to 
five years; 
-- pimping; articles 203-206; penalty of one to six years; 
-- exploitation of minors or the infirmed; articles 252; 
penalty of one to three years; 
-- attempt on virtue; articles 255-257; penalty of three 
months to one year; 
-- rape; articles 260-261; penalty of ten to 30 years; 
-- abduction and smuggling of infants; article 264-265; 
penalty of one to six years; 
 
Nuevo Leon 
-- offense to public morality or good customs; article 195; 
penalty of one to five years; 
-- corruption of minors or persons against their will, child 
pornograpy; articles 196-201; penalty of four to nine years; 
-- pimping; articles 202-204; penalty of six to 10 years; 
-- rape; articles 265-271; penalty of six to 12 years; 
-- pornography of a person against his/her will; article 271; 
penalty of six months to two years; 
 
Puebla 
-- offense to public morality; article 194; penalty of thirty 
days to three years; 
-- corruption of minors and of the disabled; articles 
217-225; penalty of eight to 14 years; 
-- pimping; articles 226-228; penalty of six months to eight 
years; 
-- attacks on virtue; articles 260-263; penalty of one to 
five years; 
-- rape; articles 267-272; penalty of six to 20 years; 
 
Queretaro 
-- corruption and exploitation of minors and of the disabled; 
articles 236-237; penalty of six months to four years; 
-- pimping; articles 238; penalty of six months to eight 
years; 
-- trafficking in persons; articles 239; penalty of six 
months to eight years; 
-- pornography with minors or the disabled; article 239; 
penalty of two to 10 years; 
-- rape; articles 160-164; penalty of three to ten years; 
-- dishonest abuses; articles 165-166; penalty of two to four 
years; 
 
Quintana Roo 
-- corruption of minors; articles 191-192; penalty of six 
months to five years; 
-- pimping; article 193; penalty of six months to six years; 
-- trafficking in persons; articles 194; penalty of six 
months to five years; 
-- smuggling of minors; article 172; penalty of two to nine 
years; 
-- rape; articles 127-128; penalty of six to 20 years; 
-- dishonest abuses; article 129; penalty of two to four 
years; 
 
San Luis Potosi 
 
MEXICO 00001201  005 OF 011 
 
 
-- offense to public morality or good customs; article 185; 
penalty of six months to two years; 
-- pimping and trafficking in persons; article 186-188; 
penalty of three to eight years; 
-- corruption of minors; articles 180-184; penalty of two to 
eight years; 
-- rape; articles 150-156; penalty of eight to sixteen years; 
-- smuggling of minors; article 172; penalty of eight to 40 
years; 
 
Sinaloa 
-- corruption and exploitation of minors and of the disabled; 
articles 273-274; penalty of four to eight years; 
-- pimping; article 275; penalty of six months to eight years; 
-- trafficking in persons; articles 276; penalty of six 
months to eight years; 
-- smuggling of minors; article 243; penalty of two to 10 
years; 
-- rape; articles 179-181; penalty of six to 15 years; 
 
Sonora 
-- corruption and exploitation of minors and of the disabled; 
articles 273-274; penalty of four to eight years; 
-- pimping; article 275; penalty of six months to eight years; 
-- trafficking in persons; articles 276; penalty of six 
months to eight years; 
-- smuggling of minors; article 243; penalty of two to 10 
years; 
-- rape; articles 179-181; penalty of six to 15 years; 
 
Tabasco 
-- pimping and trafficking in persons; article 327-358; 
penalty of two to six years; 
-- corruption of minors and of the disabled; articles 
329-334; penalty of three to 10 years; 
-- child pornography; articles 334; penalty of six to 14 
years; 
-- rape; articles 148-152; penalty of eight to 14 years; 
 
Tamaulipas 
-- offense to public morality, instigation of prostitution; 
article 190-191; penalty of one to three years; 
-- corruption of minors and of the disabled, child 
pornography and sexual prostitution of minors and of the 
disabled; articles 192-198; penalty of three to eight years; 
-- pimping; articles 199-201; penalty of two to nine years; 
-- rape; articles 273-275; penalty of 10 to 15 years; 
 
Tlaxcala 
-- offense to public morality, instigation of prostitution; 
article 164-165; penalty of three months to two years; 
-- pimping; articles 170-173; penalty of six months to eight 
years; 
-- rape; articles 221-226; penalty of six to eight years; 
 
Veracruz 
-- offense to public morality; article 228-223; penalty of 
six months to one year; 
-- rape; articles 152-155; penalty of  six to eight years; 
 
Yucatan 
-- offense to public morality or good customs; article 
164-165; penalty of six months to five years; 
-- corruption of minors and of the disabled, trafficking of 
minors and child pornograpy; articles 208-213; penalty of 
five to ten years; 
-- pimping and trafficking in persons; articles 214-216; 
penalty of one to seven years; 
 
Zacatecas 
-- offense to public morality or good customs, instigation of 
prostitution; article 121; penalty of three to six months 
-- corruption of minors; articles 124-18; penalty of six 
months to two years; 
-- pimping; article 193; penalty of six to ten years; 
-- rape; articles 194; penalty of five to 20 years. 
 
¶18. (SBU) QUESTION B. What are the penalties for trafficking 
people for sexual exploitation? 
 
POST RESPONSE:  Article 138 (trafficking undocumented aliens) 
provides a term of 6 to 12 years imprisonment.  Penalties 
increase by half if the crime is committed with minors or 
under conditions which will put their health or life in 
danger. 
 
Corruption of minors is punished with sentences of five to 
ten years under Article 201; if the conduct is repeated, the 
sentence is seven to 12 years. Under Article 201 anyone who 
procures minors for films, video or other pornographic 
materials may be sentenced from five to ten years. Those who 
 
MEXICO 00001201  006 OF 011 
 
 
film, photograph, print or distribute pornographic materials 
involving minors are subject to sentences of ten to 12 years. 
One who directs or manages a child pornography enterprise can 
receive a sentence of eight to 12 years imprisonment. 
 
Also please see paragraph 17. 
 
¶19. (SBU) QUESTION C. Punishment of labor trafficking 
offenses: what are the prescribed and imposed penalties for 
trafficking for labor exploitation, such as forced or bonded 
labor and involuntary servitude?  Do the government's laws 
provide for criminal punishment -- i.e. jail time -- for 
labor recruiters in labor source countries who engage in 
recruitment of laborers using knowingly fraudulent or 
deceptive offers that result in workers being exploited in 
the destination country? For employers or labor agents in 
labor destination countries who confiscate workers' passports 
or travel documents, switch contracts without the worker's 
consent as a means to keep the worker in a state of service, 
or withhold payment of salaries as means of keeping the 
worker in a state of service?  If law(s) prescribe criminal 
punishments for these offenses, what are the actual 
punishments imposed on persons convicted of these offenses? 
 
POST RESPONSE: For trafficking undocumented aliens, please 
see paragraph 18. 
 
The penalty for violation of Article 365 (labor exploitation) 
is three days to one year, but increases to one to five 
years, if the plan is to carry out a sexual act. The penalty 
increases to 20 to 40 years, if Article 365 is violated with 
a child less than 16 years old, or a victim more than 60 
years old, or if the person is mentally or physically 
handicapped.  The penalty increases to 25 to 50 years if the 
minor is deprived of liberty with the intent to send him or 
her out of the country, with the intent of obtaining payment 
for the sale or delivery of the minor. There are additional 
penalties if the violation also involves a permanent or 
presumptively incurable disease or loss of sexual function. 
 
¶20. (SBU) QUESTION D. What are the prescribed penalties for 
rape or forcible sexual assault?  How do they compare to the 
prescribed and imposed penalties for crimes of trafficking 
for commercial sexual exploitation? 
 
POST RESPONSE: Each of Mexico's 31 states, plus Mexico City, 
has their own penal codes and the penalties vary.  In Mexico 
City, the penalty for rape of a child less than twelve years 
old is punishable by two to five years imprisonment; another 
50 percent of the sentence is added if violence was used. 
When the victim is between 12 and 18 years old, rape is 
punishable by three months to four years in prison.  The 
penalty for rape of an adult woman is six months to four 
years; if violence is used in the process, an additional 50 
percent of the sentence may be added to it.  Use of force in 
a rape against a member of either sex is punishable by eight 
to 14 years in prison. 
 
According to federal law, child prostitution and any practice 
that affects a child's psychosocial development is a felony 
under Mexican law.  The Federal Penal Code and the Penal 
Proceedings Code cover crimes involving children or 
adolescents in pornography or prostitution.  The laws cover 
child pornography, prostitution of minors, and corruption of 
minors or mentally disabled persons.  They specify penalties 
for perpetrators according to the seriousness of the crime. 
 
¶21. (SBU) QUESTION E. Is prostitution legalized or 
decriminalized? Specifically, are the activities of the 
prostitute criminalized?  Are the activities of the brothel 
owner/operator, clients, pimps, and enforcers criminalized? 
Are these laws enforced?  If prostitution is legal and 
regulated, what is the legal minimum age for this activity? 
Note that in many countries with federalist systems, 
prostitution laws may be covered by state, local, and 
provincial authorities. 
 
POST RESPONSE: Prostitution is legal in Mexico, but only for 
adults (those 18 years of age and older) that are not being 
pimped.  The existing laws that do pertain to prostitution 
focus on threats to public health, moral corruption and 
pimping.  The Mexican criminal code contains penalties for 
corruption of minors; for induced or forced prostitution and 
maintaining brothels; for employment of minors in bars and 
other centers of vice; and for the procurement, inducement or 
concealment of prostitution.  Flagrant prostitution is 
subject to a penalty of six months to five years in prison. 
Both pimping and prostitution are practiced widely and 
generally without arrest or prosecution. 
 
¶22. (SBU) QUESTION F. Has the government prosecuted any cases 
 
MEXICO 00001201  007 OF 011 
 
 
against traffickers?  If so, provide numbers of 
investigations, prosecutions, convictions, and sentences, 
including details on plea bargains and fines, if relevant and 
available.  Does the government in a labor source country 
criminally prosecute labor recruiters who recruit laborers 
using knowingly fraudulent or deceptive offers or impose on 
recruited laborers inappropriately high or illegal fees or 
commissions that create a debt bondage condition for the 
laborer?  Does the government in a labor destination country 
criminally prosecute employers or labor agents who confiscate 
workers' passports/travel documents, switch contracts or 
terms of employment without the worker's consent, use 
physical or sexual abuse or the threat of such abuse to keep 
workers in a state of service, or withhold payment of 
salaries as a means to keep workers in a state of service? 
Are the traffickers serving the time sentenced: if not, why 
not?  Please indicate whether the government can provide this 
information, and if not, why not? (Note: complete answers to 
this section are essential. End note) 
 
POST RESPONSE: NOTE: The names and details of ongoing 
investigations are not/not for public disclosure. End Note. 
 
As the lead agency on trafficking, the PFP has reported on 
state investigations and prosecutions, as well as on the 
investigations that PFP is undertaking themselves, often in 
collaboration with local police and/or USG. Since March 2006, 
the PFP has pursued: 
 
-- at least 10 trafficking cases; 
-- 63 rescues of suspected victims of sexual exploitation; 
(NOTE: While authorities attempted to rescue individuals it 
presumes to be trafficking victims, many of those rescued 
were subsequently proven not to be trafficking victims or 
have not yet been verified as trafficking victims; 
investigations are ongoing. End note.) 
-- 61 rescues of victims of labor exploitation; (NOTE: The 
working conditions of the plant from which the 61 were 
rescued suggest that many could be trafficking victims, but 
it is not clear whether the authorities verified that they 
were trafficking victims. End note.) 
-- the arrest of one pedophile who may be involved in a 
trafficking case; 
-- the sentencing of two traffickers; 
-- the extradition of one trafficker to the U.S.; 
-- the dismantling of 59 Internet pages for child 
pornography. 
 
The PFP reported that, from January through November of 2006, 
Mexican authorities began criminal proceedings for 1,044 
cases; arrested 202 suspects; and imposed five sentences. PFP 
noted that the statistics are significantly different - and 
reduced - from those of 2005 (1,336 cases opened and 
sentences imposed in 531 cases) because of a more 
discriminate process to identify trafficking cases. We cannot 
verify all of these cases to be trafficking-related, and many 
are likely not trafficking, but it is also likely that the 
statistics are incomplete. 
 
Post did review several ongoing GOM cases, and their details 
are as follows: 
 
-- Since January 2006, when the GOM received information 
about a U.S. citizen and a suspected pedophile living in a 
border state, the state authorities have been unable to 
obtain sworn statements from minors since their investigation 
began. In July 2006, the state DIF interviewed some of the 
alleged victims, who refused to cooperate. ICE facilitated 
the services of an expert psychologist to interview the 
alleged victims, who did not admit to any sexual abuse by the 
US citizen. The PFP interviewed him at his residence but 
found no evidence of any sexual abuse or trafficking. 
 
-- On April 15, 2006, a US citizen was arrested in a popular 
resort city for allegedly molesting minor females and 
producing child pornography, charged by the state and federal 
government. While the state charges were dismissed, the 
federal charges of child pornography are still pending. 
Police intelligence reported that the US citizen was likely a 
client of a child prostitution ring. The investigation is 
ongoing, and the suspect remains in prison. ICE assisted the 
PFP in this case. 
 
-- On April 28, the Mexican Attorney General's Office (PGR) 
prevailed on an appeal of seven defendants involved in the 
Carreto trafficking ring, including an INM officer, and 
handed out sentences ranging from 19 to 27 years. The Carreto 
trafficking ring involved the smuggling to New York City and 
prostitution of Mexican women, who were compelled by 
violence, sexual assault, threats and deception. However, six 
of these defendants filed and received a legal injunction 
 
MEXICO 00001201  008 OF 011 
 
 
("amparo") and were released; a Mexican court later revoked 
the injunction and issued arrest warrants; and the six remain 
fugitives. A leader of the ring, Consuelo Carreto Valencia 
(or Consuelo Tomasa Felix Carreto Valencia) was convicted of 
organized crime and illegal smuggling, with a sentence of 25 
years and 6 months and fines of 880,718.20 Mexican pesos 
(approximately USD 80,500). Consuelo Carreto Valencia was 
extradited to the United States on 19 January 2007 to face 
charges of trafficking, among other crimes. Mexican courts 
approved the rights of custody of four children to their 
mothers, who were victims of the Carreto trafficking ring and 
whose husbands were traffickers; a child of another 
trafficking victim is in the custody of his grandmother. The 
custody case is still pending for a sixth child of a 
trafficking victim. 
 
-- On July 15, 2006, the U.S. extradited Jean Succar Kuri to 
Mexico. Succar Kuri, a prominent businessman, is believed to 
have operated a child prostitution ring in Cancun. He fled to 
the United States when faced with charges of child 
prostitution, among other crimes. He remains in a Cancun jail 
waiting trial. 
 
-- On August 10, 2006, in an operation involving several 
police units and a helicopter, Mexican authorities succeeded 
in rescuing a trafficked 13-year old girl. An NGO, the 
Coalition Against the Trafficking of Women and Children, 
provided information to PFP about a girl who was abducted on 
June 3, 2006, by an offer to baby sit, held against her will, 
raped by her captor (a known drug trafficker), forced to 
work, and reportedly prepared to be sold into prostitution. 
Although an arrest warrant was issued, the suspect remains a 
fugitive. NOTE: The names of NGOs working with the INM with 
victim protection and assistance are not/not for public 
disclosure. End Note. 
 
-- On September 3, 2006, in response to a complaint filed by 
a local official in Puerto Vallarta, the PFP and local police 
rescued a minor girl outside an internet cafQ, two blocks 
from the residence of Alfonso Franco, 39 years old, with whom 
she was living. Because the girl's father neither filed a 
complaint nor cooperated with local police, the Mexican 
authorities could not press charges against Franco. 
Intelligence reported that the father may have allowed his 
daughter to live with Franco in return for monetary 
compensation. The girl now remains in the care of her father. 
 
-- On September 19, 2006, INM inspected the manufacturing 
plant KBL, in Guanajuato, in cooperation with PFP, CISEN, PGR 
and an NGO, Sin Fronteras. The authorities discovered 61 
Chinese nationals who reported that they worked more than 14 
hours per day, were refused  permission to leave the location 
of the plant, and whose legal paperwork (e.g. visas) were in 
the possession of the company. The migratory status of the 
workers was legal, but their working conditions were 
allegedly illegal. The Chinese nationals returned to China, 
and KBL is reportedly closing its operations in Mexico. Prior 
to the inspection, two Chinese migrants were identified as 
trafficking victims by CNDH, and were granted humanitarian 
visas by INM.  NOTE: The names of NGOs working with the 
authorities on victim protection and assistance are not/not 
for public disclosure. End Note. 
 
-- In September of 2006, two minors were trafficked from 
their home town in El Salvador to Tapachula, Chiapas, by the 
members of the Mara Salvatrucha. The gang reportedly intended 
to transport the victims to the United States to be forced 
into prostitution. In the meantime, they were forced to have 
sex with members of the gang. The victims filed complaints 
and the local authorities have arrested the gang members. The 
victims are currently being cared for in a shelter. The 
investigation is ongoing. 
 
-- On October 3, 2006, through collaboration between the PFP 
and an NGO, Bilateral Security Corridor Coalition, PFP with 
PGR and DIF conducted on operation on an orphanage, in 
Ensenada, Baja California, in which the children were 
suspected of being sexually abused and exploited. All 51 
children were interviewed and it was determined that some 
children were sexually abused by one of the caretakers. The 
state Secretary of Health has taken custody of the orphanage. 
However, 19 of children are now missing. Police intelligence 
suggests that this is a trafficking operation. A prosecution 
case was initiated and evidence continues to be collected. 
NOTE: The names of NGOs working with authorities on victim 
protection and assistance are not/not for public disclosure. 
End Note. 
 
-- On 11 February 2007, following a several week 
investigation in a border city of a cross-border prostitution 
ring, involving minors, the local police arrested the ring 
 
MEXICO 00001201  009 OF 011 
 
 
leader, a US citizen, as well as the ring's secretary and 
three prostitutes. The police also raided offices linked to 
the ring, outfitted with computers, multiple phone lines and 
photographic catalogues of prostitutes. The ring is 
reportedly based in the U.S., with US citizen clients who are 
serviced by Mexican prostitutes. The ring featured an 
Internet catalogue and included about 35 prostitutes, all 
Mexican nationals. The FBI and local authorities collaborated 
in the area of intelligence. 
 
-- ICE has been working with GOM on an operation that is 
suspected of trafficking women from Southeastern Europe and 
South America to force them to work at night clubs for 
Q&table dancingQ8 and perhaps prostitution, in Monterrey. A 
GOM undercover agent is providing intelligence on the case, 
specifically on women recently arrived from Brazil and 
Hungary. ICE is working with GOM to arrange meetings with 
recruiters in Europe. 
 
-- INM provided information to PFP on possible TIP victims 
arrested during an INM operation in Mexico City. The case 
involves women prostituted through a website, 
www.divas.com.mx. Until a recent breakthrough, Mexican 
authorities had identified eight women prostituted (seven 
Argentineans and one Hungarian), the chief of the operations, 
two recruiters (Argentinean), and the financing operation 
(run by the chief's brother). PFP identified more than five 
TIP victims/witnesses who gave sworn statements. While a 
Mexican court was reviewing the case to determine whether 
arrest warrants should be issued, one of the alleged 
traffickers - Antonio Martinez - was arrested by 
authorities in late February 2007 when caught prostituting 
nine women. At least one of the women, a twenty-one year old 
Argentinean, was deceived to travel to Mexico by a job offer, 
forced into prostitution, held against her will and 
threatened with violence. Mexican authorities have search 
warrants for two properties belonging to Martinez. 
 
-- GOM and ICE have cooperated on a trafficking case 
involving a criminal family network whose members lure young 
women, from various parts of Mexico, with the promise of 
marriage and/or employment. Once the women accept the offer, 
the criminal network transports the women to Puebla or 
Tenancingo to work as domestic servants, perhaps for a couple 
months. Following, the women are transported to Mexico City 
or Tijuana and forced into prostitution. Subsequently, the 
women may be transported to New Jersey, New York, Maryland or 
Virginia where they are prostituted again. ICE/Newark 
initiated the case and executed search and arrest warrants; 
the GOM is expected to follow with its own search and arrest 
warrants. The GOM has already traveled to the US to take 
statements from female minor victims and conducted a 
comprehensive investigation in Mexico. 
 
-- With information from an NGO, the GOM has an investigation 
pending on the activities of several "table dance" 
establishments in Cancun that recruit women, and minors, to 
work as dancers, but upon their employment are raped by a 
manager, forced into prostitution and kept against their 
will. A victim was located in the U.S. and provided a 
statement. Confidential sources, who have spoken with the 
victims, also corroborated the alleged trafficking operation. 
 
¶23. (SBU) QUESTION G. Is there any information or reports of 
who is behind the trafficking?  For example, are the 
traffickers freelance operators, small crime groups, and/or 
large international organized crime syndicates?  Are 
employment, travel, and tourism agencies or marriage brokers 
fronting for traffickers or crime groups to traffic 
individuals? Are government officials involved?  Are there 
any reports of where profits from trafficking in persons are 
being channeled?  (e.g. armed groups, terrorist 
organizations, judges, banks, etc.) 
 
POST RESPONSE: Anecdotal evidence suggests that trafficking 
in Mexico involves all types of individuals and groups - 
including freelance operators, family networks, small crime 
groups, and large international organized crime syndicates 
(see paragraph 6). Last year, the IOM believed that there 
were 135 criminal trafficking networks in Mexico, and the 
CISEN said there were 126 gangs involved in trafficking on 
the southern border.  Alien smugglers are also frequently 
involved in identifying and transporting trafficking victims. 
 
There have been reports that some law enforcement and 
migration officials - especially at the local level - have 
been involved in trafficking to the extent they have been 
known to accept bribes to facilitate or ignore alien 
smuggling or to allow brothels and child prostitution to 
exist unmolested.   There have been unsubstantiated reports 
of senior GOM officials being complicit in TIP. 
 
MEXICO 00001201  010 OF 011 
 
 
 
¶24. (SBU) QUESTION H. Does the government actively 
investigate cases of trafficking?  (again, the focus should 
be on trafficking cases versus migrant smuggling cases.) Does 
the government use active investigative techniques in 
trafficking in persons investigations?  To the extent 
possible under domestic law, are techniques such as 
electronic surveillance, undercover operations, and mitigated 
punishment or immunity for cooperating suspects used by the 
government?  Does the criminal procedure code or other laws 
prohibit the police from engaging in covert operations? 
 
POST RESPONSE: The government does actively investigate 
crimes related to trafficking (e.g., pimping, child 
prostitution, child pornography offenses, etc), often at the 
state level, using investigative techniques that include 
electronic surveillance, undercover operations, and plea 
bargains or immunity for cooperating suspects.  Domestic law 
does not prevent the police from engaging in covert 
operations (see paragraph 22). In the last year, the federal 
police have been significantly more assertive in 
investigating trafficking cases. 
 
¶25. (SBU) QUESTION I. Does the government provide any 
specialized training for government officials in how to 
recognize, investigate, and prosecute instances of 
trafficking? 
 
POST RESPONSE: The government, in conjunction with some NGOs 
and the USG, does give specialized training to its officials 
in how to recognize, investigate, and prosecute instances of 
trafficking. 
 
In August and September, ICE - with the assistance of civil 
society organizations like IOM and CAT-W - provided a 
40-hour training course on investigations in trafficking in 
persons to 60 PFP officers, as well as a four-hour block of 
training to 300 PFP officers during advanced training at the 
federal police training academy. In August 2006, ICE and CIS 
trained approximately 90 immigration officials in Tapachula 
on trafficking in persons. The BSCC has trained more than 
1500 government workers, including more than 750 police 
officers. The NAS and DOJ Federal Bureau of Investigations 
(DOJ-FBI) sections at post have provided training to Mexican 
law enforcement officials on active investigation and 
interviewing techniques. 
 
The DIF/ILO program to Eradicate the Commercial Sexual 
Exploitation of Minors (ESCI) has trained hundreds of 
government officials. The ESCI program ran a two-day training 
in November 2006 for working level DIF employees from 23 
states. 
 
Many other training sessions on trafficking took place around 
the country, including: 
 
-- May 29-31: INM organized TIP training for migration 
officials from around the country. 
 
-- June 28-29: INM organized training on identifying and 
assisting TIP victims for migration officers at the detention 
center in Iztapalapa, one of the country's three large 
detention centers. 
 
-- August 17: TIP training seminar was held in the state of 
Tlaxcala (a recruiting ground for the Carreto trafficking 
ring) for a range of state government officials and civil 
society. 
 
-- September 6: Secretariat of Public Security IOM organized 
a training workshop for staff and the operation of the 
hotline established in conjunction with the PFP 
anti-trafficking media campaign. 
 
-- September 11-14: Training workshops were held for local 
officials and civil society of the northern border cities of 
Ciudad Juarez and Nuevo Laredo. 
 
-- October 12:  INMUJERES organized a TIP training workshop, 
particularly for addressing women migrants, in Chetumal, 
Quintana Roo. 
 
-- November 16: Queretaro State Commission on Human Rights 
organized a TIP training workshop for state officials. 
 
¶26. (SBU) QUESTION J. Does the government cooperate with 
other governments in the investigation and prosecution of 
trafficking cases? If possible, can post provide the number 
of cooperative international investigations on trafficking? 
 
POST RESPONSE: The GOM cooperates with other governments in 
 
MEXICO 00001201  011 OF 011 
 
 
the investigation and prosecution of trafficking cases. 
Mexican law enforcement officials continue to work closely 
with DHS-ICE on numerous trafficking investigations in Mexico 
and the U.S., including cross-border trafficking cases. The 
US and Mexico cooperated on nine cases listed in paragraph 
¶22. 
 
The ICE coordinator at Embassy Mexico City facilitated 
meetings between the PFP and two NGOs, that resulted in 
rescue operations of suspected trafficking victims as listed 
in paragraph 22. 
 
Most notably, the GOM extradited convicted leader of a 
trafficking ring, Consuelo Carreto Valencia, to the U.S. to 
face trafficking charges; and GOM received the extradition 
from the US of the alleged leader of a child prostitution 
ring, Jean Succar Kuri (see paragraph 22). 
 
A US citizen who was extradited in 2005 to Mexico from 
Thailand, still remains in jail in Puerto Vallarta facing 
charges of corruption of minors and child prostitution, in an 
alleged trafficking case. 
 
¶27. (SBU) QUESTION K. Does the government extradite persons 
who are charged with trafficking in other countries?  If so, 
can post provide the number of traffickers extradited?  Does 
the government extradite its own nationals charged with such 
offenses?   If not, is the government prohibited by law form 
extraditing its own nationals?  If so, is the government 
doing to modify its laws to permit the extradition of its own 
nationals? 
 
POST RESPONSE: Mexican national Consuelo Carreto Valencia 
received a sentence of 25 years and six months in Mexico on 
trafficking-related charges; the GOM subsequently extradited 
her to the United States (January 19 2007) to face charges of 
trafficking, among other crimes. (See case in paragraph 22 
for more information.) 
 
¶28. (SBU) QUESTION L. Is there evidence of government 
involvement in or tolerance of trafficking, on a local or 
institutional level? If so, please explain in detail. 
 
POST RESPONSE: See paragraph 23. 
 
(End of Part II.) 
 
Visit Mexico City's Classified Web Site at 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/wha/mexicocity 
 
GARZA