Three Cubans are accused of human trafficking after it was discovered that they were transporting more than two dozen undocumented immigrants, mostly Chinese, who arrived by boat on the coast of Florida and were found in Coral Gables, according to authorities.
Lucas Sedeno Rodríguez (age 52), José Luis Villares (55), and Keiner Cicilia Rodríguez (39) are facing charges for transporting, moving, or attempting to transport or move foreigners within the United States, according to a criminal complaint filed in the federal court in Miami.
The case unfolded when a resident in the Snapper Creek Lakes neighborhood of Coral Gables, Miami-Dade County, witnessed what appeared to be a kidnapping around 9:30 a.m. last Friday.
According to the police report, the witness saw a man forcefully pushing a woman towards the back of a Toyota Corolla with Texas license plates, parked next to a U-Haul moving truck.
The citizen recorded a video of the incident with his cell phone and showed it to a Coral Gables police officer to alert him.
Thanks to that information, the authorities tracked both vehicles to the 6700 block of LeJeune Road, where they arrested 28 individuals, including the alleged traffickers.
Detentions and conditions in the vehicles
In the operation, agents found that the U-Haul truck, driven by Villares, was transporting 22 undocumented immigrants.
The vehicle had its windows covered with cardboard boxes in an apparent attempt to hide the passengers.
In the Toyota Corolla, driven by Sedeno Rodríguez with Cicilia Rodríguez as a passenger, three other undocumented immigrants were traveling in the back seat, including the woman who was pushed inside the car, according to authorities.
The immigrants, arriving from China, Ecuador, and Brazil, had recently arrived by boat from the Bahamas and landed near the Snapper Creek Canal, according to the report.
The operation was the result of a collaboration between the Coral Gables Police, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the Department of Homeland Security.
According to a researcher, the conditions of the vehicles, such as the lack of seats in the U-Haul and the covered windows, are consistent with the tactics used by human traffickers to camouflage immigrants.
The passengers did not carry luggage, except for small personal items such as jewelry and cell phones.
Statements from those involved
Sedeno Rodríguez admitted to investigators that a man named "Miggy," known for his involvement in human trafficking from the Bahamas, contacted him in Homestead.
According to the report, Miggy offered him $5,000 to pick up the migrants and transport them.
Sedeno Rodríguez also mentioned that a second individual, nicknamed "Pito," would provide the destination location and the cash.
Villares stated that Sedeno Rodríguez recruited him for the operation, offering him 500 dollars to assist with the transportation.
He also stated that Cicilia Rodríguez rented the U-Haul truck, and that the plan was to drop off the immigrants "near a hardware store" in Miami-Dade.
Cicilia Rodríguez, for her part, acknowledged that she owned the Toyota Corolla and admitted that she rented the U-Haul following instructions from Sedeno Rodríguez.
It was also confirmed that the three met at Sedeno Rodríguez's house on Friday morning to coordinate the operation.
The three suspects, all Cuban citizens, were transferred to the Dania Beach Border Patrol station following their arrest and then taken to the Broward County jail.
According to records, Villares and Sedeno Rodríguez were held at the Federal Detention Center in downtown Miami until this Wednesday.
Cicilia Rodríguez did not appear in the federal inmate records or in those of the Broward Sheriff's Office.
The case is still under investigation as authorities seek to completely dismantle the human trafficking network.
Frequently Asked Questions about Human Trafficking in Miami
Who were the Cubans arrested in Miami for human trafficking?
Three Cubans, Lucas Sedeno Rodríguez, José Luis Villares, and Keiner Cicilia Rodríguez, were arrested in Miami on charges of human trafficking after transporting more than two dozen undocumented immigrants, primarily from China, Ecuador, and Brazil.
How did the arrest take place in Coral Gables?
The arrest occurred thanks to a report from a citizen who observed a possible kidnapping in the Snapper Creek Lakes neighborhood. This citizen alerted the police after recording the incident, which allowed for the tracking and apprehension of the suspects and 28 undocumented immigrants in two vehicles.
What conditions did the immigrants face in the vehicles used?
Immigrants were transported under precarious conditions. In the U-Haul truck, driven by José Luis Villares, there were 22 immigrants without seats and with the windows covered to hide them, while three other immigrants were in the Toyota Corolla.
What was the role of the authorities in this operation against human trafficking?
The operation was coordinated among several agencies, including the Coral Gables Police, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the Department of Homeland Security. These authorities collaborated to track down and apprehend the suspects and the immigrants involved, demonstrating the importance of joint action in human trafficking cases.
Filed under:
