(Q24N) Uber may be assisting in illegal immigration, some Mexican officials claim.
Arnulfo Leon Campos of Mexico’s National Institute of Migration said that transporters of undocumented immigrants are using the private ride-sharing service to cross border points without being detected.
“Traffickers of people going to the United States diversify their operations and now use private vehicle services like Uber to transport undocumented people,” he said.
The statements were made last week after four Uber cars were stopped in the state of Zacatecas on their way to Durango. Cases like these have become more common, officials said, as it becomes increasingly complicated for transporters to navigate or circumvent tightening immigration regulations.
Campos also said that only one person has been detained so far for transporting undocumented immigrants. The driver was sentenced to a five-year prison sentence.
Campos explained that the service is also used to transport minors illegally. Recently, drivers have been arrested transporting minors between the ages of four and 16.
This trafficking network of undocumented immigrants, according to Campos, begins in South America, where they also hire taxi and Uber drivers.
Sources: López Dóriga Digital, Milenio
