A federal grand jury in Texas has returned a superseding indictment charging 14 individuals in connection with a high-profit human smuggling operation that resulted in the deaths of seven migrants, including a 14-year-old child, who suffocated inside a sealed freight container.

The DOJ announced the charges Monday following an extensive investigation by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and federal, state, and local law enforcement partners.

What we know: According to court documents, the smuggling organization operated from April 2023 through May 12, 2026, illegally using cargo trains to transport migrants into the United States after crossing the U.S.-Mexico border.