In brief
An extensive operation led by Guatemalan officials has revealed alarming allegations against the Lev Tahor sect, prompting investigations into human trafficking and child exploitation.
Guatemalan officials executed a significant raid on Friday at a secluded compound operated by the Lev Tahor ultra-Orthodox Jewish sect. The operation, which led to the rescue of at least 160 children and teenagers, was driven by concerns that these minors may have been victims of human trafficking and other serious crimes.Dimas Jiménez y Jiménez, a regional prosecutor, indicated they are contemplating charges that include human trafficking, forced pregnancies, child mistreatment, and rape. He highlighted that these breaches of law are suspected to have occurred within the community. Additionally, Nancy Lorena Paiz García, the special prosecutor focusing on human trafficking, confirmed the grim discovery of buried bodies on the property, raising suspicions of potential child neglect or worse.The raid unfolded after four non-Guatemalan minors escaped from the covert sect in November and alerted the authorities to their distressing conditions. Medical examinations corroborated their claims, supporting the existence of human trafficking within the sect.Approximately 480 officers, including police, military personnel, and psychologists, converged on the heavily fortified compound during the early hours of Friday, meticulously securing the area and removing the minors. Investigators seized multiple electronic devices, sought evidence of child pornography, and utilized dogs to locate potential buried remains.This crackdown marks a continuation of the Guatemalan government's efforts to scrutinize the insular Lev Tahor community, which comprises around 500 members residing on a farm encircled by high barriers in the Santa Rosa department, near the Mexican border.
