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Mexican police detains 44 undocumented people
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-09-02 10:50

MEXICO CITY -- Mexican police detained 44 undocumented people from Central America who were traveling in disguised trucks, authorities said Monday.

Hidden in the false bottom of two trucks, they traveled to the state of Chiapas, in the south of Mexico, the National Institute of Migration (INM) said.

The detainees included 38 Salvadorians and six Guatemalans with most of them found dehydrated, the INM regional deputy Erik Jan Arguello said.

Arguello said the undocumented were found during an inspection in the municipality of San Cristobal de las Casa, in Chiapas.

The drivers of both trucks were also detained and accused of human trafficking, Arguello said, the undocumented planned to cross the northern border of Mexico to enter the United States.

The INM said from January to July, it had deported 19,147 Guatemalans and 12,950 Salvadorians who had no official documents.