Mexico arrests leader of Ultra-Orthodox sect on charges of child trafficking

MEXICO, Jan. 01 (YPA) – Mexico’s Attorney General’s Office announced the arrest of Yoel Alter, a member of the ultra-orthodox Lev Tahor sect, who is accused of trafficking minors for the purpose of forced marriages with other members of the group.

Alter was arrested in Guatemala on January 24 based on a temporary arrest warrant for extradition at the request of Mexican authorities. On October 14, the defendant definitively lost his appeal against the extradition case.

Investigations indicate that operations in recent years have led to the arrest and rescue of 177 minors in Mexico, Guatemala and Colombia.

The ultra-orthodox Lev Tahor sect, founded in Jerusalem in 1988, is known for its strict religious practices and rigid rules. The group has been accused of child abuse, pedophilia, kidnapping, and neglect.

@E.Y.M