Authorities found 17 minors from the Lev Tahor sect in Yarumal; five had yellow Interpol circulars.
What seemed like a routine immigration control ended up revealing a situation that set off all the alarms of the Colombian authorities.
At a hotel in Yarumal, in the north of Antioquia, Colombian Migration units arrived to verify the status of 26 foreign citizens.
But what they found there exceeded any expectations: among them there were 17 minorsand five were reported with a yellow Interpol circularan international alert used to search for missing people, especially children and adolescents.
The authorities confirmed that they were all part of Lev Tahora community of Jewish origin known for its secluded life and for the serious accusations that weigh on some of its members in other countries.
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For this operation, Migración Colombia was accompanied by the Military Gaula of the National Army, a joint effort that allowed the identification of minors with American, Guatemalan and Canadian nationalities, who remained with their families inside the hotel.
The verification completely changed the course of the procedure. With the international reports in hand and the confirmation of the yellow circular, the minors were rescued and placed under immediate protection. According to the immigration registry, the seven families involved had entered the country recently, between October 22 and 23, from New York, United States.
The presence of this community did not go unnoticed by international authorities. Counterpart agencies from other countries have warned about alleged crimes committed by members of Lev Tahorparticularly in Guatemala and the United States, where cases have been reported that include kidnapping and child sexual exploitation.
In fact, several of its leaders have been convicted for acts of this nature, which keeps control agencies on maximum alert.
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After the operation, Migration Colombia transferred all the people to the Medellín Immigration Services Family Welfare Centerwhere the minors began to receive care from the Colombian Institute of Family Welfare (ICBF).
The process, according to the entity, is developed under a preventive approach to guarantee that your rights are fully protected.
The general director of Migration Colombia, Gloria Esperanza Arrierohighlighted the coordination of all the institutions involved.
“The absolute priority is to guarantee the protection of minors. That is why we act from a preventive approach, in coordination with the ICBF, the Judicial Police, the Military Gaula and the Prosecutor’s Office, ensuring comprehensive support that safeguards their rights and well-being,” he said.
Source: Integrated Information System
