MEXICO CITY, June 6 (Xinhua) -- The Mexican government blocked the bank accounts of 26 individuals and businesses who are allegedly involved in trafficking migrants and organizing illegal caravans, the Finance Ministry said Thursday.
The Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) of the Finance Ministry applied a methodology that linked the migrant caravans heading to Mexico from October 2018 till now, as well as the economic resources via money transfers.
"With actions like this, the Mexican government validates its policy to fight head-on the economic structures of human traffickers," the ministry said in a statement.
Based on its investigation, the FIU identified a group of people who were performing "unusual operations" from the Mexican states of Chiapas and Queretaro to such countries as El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, Cameroon, the United States and Britain.
A series of operations and financial transfers were also recorded from Queretaro to Mexican cities along the U.S. border, the statement said.
The Mexican government's move came as Mexican and U.S. officials met in Washington on Wednesday over the threat by the U.S. government to impose tariffs on all imported Mexican products beginning June 10 if the flow of undocumented migrants is not halted.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday "progress is being made, but not nearly enough" in the talks on tariffs and immigration, noting that talks would resume Thursday.
The flow of Mexican migrants increased at the end of 2018 following the formation of massive caravans, increasing the tension in the Mexico-U.S. relations.
