APD Looking for Human Smugglers

AUSTIN - Austin Police have arrested one of several people involved in a human trafficking operation. Ismael Alvarez and Tereso Lopez-Leon are both being charged with aggravated kidnapping connected to human trafficking operations that threatened illegal immigrants' lives.

According to police, three Mexican immigrants paid smugglers $1,800 in Mexico to get them into the U.S. illegally in September of 2008.  The smugglers took the immigrants to Austin, where they expected to be paid additional money for helping them cross the border. When the immigrants told them they had no money, the smugglers then tied the immigrants up and beat them.

The immigrants were beaten for three days before being taken to remote locations, stripped of  their clothes and slashed with a knife.

Alvarez was one of the suspected smugglers and was arrested after driving a vehicle that was scene picking up money transfers connected to the human trafficking at a store on East Riverside Drive. One of the several victims told police they saw the Alvarez at the store in his car before.

Leon-Lopez's fingerprints were found after police searched through a trash can at an apartment where the victims were being held.

Austin Police were able to interview at least four of the victims. The victims told police of other men that were part of the kidnapping. Police are still are looking into more arrest including Tereso Lopez-Leon who is still not in custody.

Anyone with information regarding the case are asked to contact APD.