unioncityreporter.com
New Jersey -- Two Union City bars and one in Guttenberg were shut down last week after 10 people were indicted on federal charges of illegally smuggling young Honduran women into the state and allegedly forcing them to work in the bars.
"This was inhumane and sadistic treatment of young women who were kept as virtual slaves," said U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Christie.
Luisa Medrano of Cliffside Park, the owner of El Paisano Bar and Nightclub on 22nd Street and El Puerto de la Union II on Bergenline Avenue, was arrested the night before as the alleged ringleader of the international human smuggling ring between the U.S. and Honduras.
The indictment also referred to a third bar in Guttenberg also owned by Medrano.
A U.S. citizen and native of El Salvador, Medrano and at least nine other co-conspirators were brought up on 31 counts including conspiracy to commit forced labor, and alien smuggling.
Posted by katie at July 31, 2005