In brief
Authorities in Guatemala conducted a significant raid on an ultra-Orthodox Jewish sect's compound, freeing over 160 minors believed to be victims of human trafficking. These actions come after alarming reports and testimonies revealed instances of abuse and exploitation within the community.
Guatemalan officials carried out a major operation on Friday, raiding the compound of the Lev Tahor sect, an ultra-Orthodox Jewish group with a history of allegations related to child exploitation. This significant law enforcement action resulted in the removal of at least 160 children and teenagers from the site, where authorities suspect a range of serious crimes including human trafficking, forced pregnancy, corporal punishment of minors, and possible instances of rape.Regional prosecutor Dimas Jiménez y Jiménez confirmed in a news conference that while no arrests were made during the operation, charges are being contemplated against individuals within the sect. The special prosecutor dedicated to human trafficking, Nancy Lorena Paiz García, stated that investigators had uncovered buried bodies on the premises, raising suspicions about the potential harassment and deaths of minors within the community. This raid was prompted after four minors, who were not from Guatemala, managed to escape the community in November and subsequently reported their experiences to authorities. Medical examinations corroborated their claims, leading to the realization that they had suffered various forms of human trafficking.The operation involved nearly 480 personnel, including police, soldiers, prosecutors, and psychologists, who descended upon the gated property early Friday morning. Law enforcement seized multiple electronic devices in search of evidence related to child pornography and employed canine units to detect any buried remains in the area. This raid is part of a broader effort by Guatemalan authorities to investigate the clandestine activities of the Lev Tahor community, which consists of approximately 500 members living in isolation on a farm, surrounded by high walls and a locked gate.
