Albuquerque human trafficking suspect arrested in Oklahoma City

A woman suspected of leading a major human trafficking operation in Albuquerque was arrested Wednesday evening in Oklahoma City, according to authorities.

Yajair Lizzet Lara, also known as Lara Mendez, was taken into custody by Border Patrol agents as part of a multi-agency operation involving the Governor’s Organized Crime Commission, New Mexico State Police, and the U.S. Border Patrol. Authorities consider Lara one of the top five human traffickers in Albuquerque.

Investigators believe Lara led an organization that operated a stash house in Albuquerque, collecting more than $500,000 by illegally smuggling migrants from Mexico into New Mexico and forcing them to pay her.

She is being transported back to Albuquerque, where she faces federal charges of human smuggling.

“This is a victory in our battle against the scourge of human trafficking,” New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said in a statement. “The arrest of a top trafficker sends a clear message that we will not tolerate the exploitation of our most vulnerable. This is just the beginning— we will continue to work with law enforcement and advocates to see that justice is served.”

Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman, who also chairs the Organized Crime Commission, said authorities would remain aggressive in prosecuting traffickers.

“The Organized Crime Commission is relentless and will continue to go after people who traffic human beings,” Bregman said.

Lara’s arrest is part of Operation Disruption, a law enforcement initiative launched last fall along the New Mexico-Mexico border to target and arrest human traffickers.