function hide_user_promo_bubble_second_stage() { var bubble = $("user_promo_bubble"); bubble.style.display = "none"; } function hide_user_promo_bubble() { var bubble = $("user_promo_bubble"); var myAnim = new YAHOO.util.Anim(bubble, { opacity: { to: 0 } }, 1, YAHOO.util.Easing.easeOut); myAnim.animate(); setTimeout("hide_user_promo_bubble_second_stage()", 1100); } function handle_promo_username(params) { var bubble = $("user_promo_bubble"); var img = $("user_promo_bubble_image"); var anchor = $("user_promo_bubble_link"); if (params.has_photo == "true") { img.src = "http://images.huffingtonpost.com/profiles/" + params.user_id + "-tiny.png"; } else { img.style.display = "none"; Dom.addClass(anchor, "wide"); } anchor.innerHTML = "Shared by " + params.user_name; anchor.href = "http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/" + params.user_name; bubble.style.display = "block"; var myAnim = new YAHOO.util.Anim(bubble, { opacity: { to: 1 } }, 2, YAHOO.util.Easing.easeOut); myAnim.animate(); } if (HuffPoUtil.getUrlVar("user_promo")) { YAHOO.util.Event.onDOMReady(function() { var parts = document.location.hash.split(","), shared_by = "", badge = "", i; if (parts.length < 2) return; for (i = 0; i < parts.length; i++) { if (parts[i].indexOf("sb=") !== -1) { shared_by = parts[i]; } if (parts[i].indexOf("b=") !== -1) { badge = parts[i]; } } if (shared_by == "" || badge == "") return; var bubble = $("user_promo_bubble"); if (!bubble) return; var entry_id = HuffPoUtil.GetEntryID(); if (!entry_id) return; var user_id = parseInt(shared_by.substr(shared_by.indexOf("sb=") + 3)); if (!user_id) return; var badge_type = badge.substr(badge.indexOf("b=") + 2); if (!badge_type) return; script = document.createElement("script"); script.setAttribute("type", "text/javascript"); bubble.appendChild(script); script.setAttribute("src", "/include/share_track.php?a=view&eid=" + entry_id + "&uid=" + user_id + "&b=" + badge_type + "&cb=handle_promo_username"); }); } Arrests After 107 Slaves Found In Mexico City

MEXICO CITY — Mexico City police on Thursday freed 107 people who were forced to work under slave-like conditions in a clandestine factory making shopping bags and clothing clasps, authorities said.

Police raided the factory, which was hidden inside an alcohol and drug rehabilitation center, after a worker escaped and informed authorities, Mexico City Attorney General Miguel Angel Mancera said. Twenty three people were arrested for human trafficking.

"The victims were being exploited and some were sexually abused," Mancera said. Many were suffering from dehydration and malnutrition, and some had cuts and broken bones.

Most were from indigenous communities and didn't speak Spanish. They were abducted or lured from communities across Mexico and taken to the St. Thomas-The Chosen by God rehabilitation center, Mancera said.

The freed workers, whose ages ranged from 14 to 70, were forced to work for 16 hours a day, with just a 30-minute break. Mancera said they were fed chicken feet and rotten vegetables.

Mancera said the rehabilitation center in Mexico City's populous Iztapalapa district had been open for at least eight years. But he didn't say for how long the factory had been operating or where the shopping bags and clothing clasps were sold.

He didn't say how many were men and how many were women.

Comments

[TamPhi]

Learn about modern slavery

http://www.notforsalecampaign.org/

[MarisaFaye]

I live in Mexico City, and let me tell you; it is big, scary and dirty, AND full of amazing people, But I believe that could describe any overpopulated city in the world. In a big city like this one you are going to see the best of humans and the worst. Unfortunately Mexicans have been in a corrupt political vise from the beginning of it's origins. The Spanish, once they conquered this "new world", they sold pieces of the country along with it's people to the highest bidder back in Spain, corrupt men who took the gold and silver and ravaged the natives with disease and poverty! We are trying to get over this poisoned past... I don't know if it is working.

[AnimalLover6]

This is how Mexico has always treated its indigenous peoples. And those who make it illegally into El Norte don't speak Spanish, either--and they constitute a significant percentage of illegal immigrants. Which is why this whole bilingual English/Spanish thing is a scam.

[TamPhi]

We haven't treated our indigenous people all that well either, don't forget

[AnimalLover6]

THAT'S an understatement. :)

[Gary50]

Walmart categegorically denies that these people were "slaves." "This is just another instance of left wingers unfairly criticizing our employment practices" a Walmart executive claimed. These people were practically unemployable until we took them in, provided training and allowed them to work all of the overtime they could handle, and then some. We provided free room and board, one square meal a day (they're small people and they operate more efficiently if not overfed) of yummy chicken feet and "rotten vegetables" (never more than a week past their expiration date). Now these formerly happy workers are unemployed and may never find employment again. Tell your congressman we need more laws protecting Walmarts right to privacy and less governmental interference in the workplace.

[pflickner]

As much as Walmart is a problem, this wasn't Walmart. You might as well say it was the Catholic Church.

[therealabsurdist]

The Catholic Church categegorically denies that these people were "slaves." "This is just another instance of left wingers unfairly criticizing our employment practices" a Church spokesman claimed. These people were practically unemployable until we took them in, provided training and allowed them to work all of the overtime they could handle, and then some. We provided free room and board, one square meal a day (they're small people and they operate more efficiently if not overfed) of yummy chicken feet and "rotten vegetables" (never more than a week past their expiration date). Now these formerly happy workers are unemployed and may never find employment again. Tell your congressman we need more laws protecting the Catholic Church's right to privacy and less governmental interference in religion.

Better? ;)

[Gary50]

Walmart succeeded in keeping their name out of it, with the blesssings of the Catholic church. Ha Ha. (Just so you know I'm kidding.)

[Usama]

Quite a sad story. Mexico city is one of the largest cities in the world and including its metro area, it stretches for 100s of square miles. BTW, this is as much about modern capitalism as it is about Mexico's internal problems. Slavery plagues every nations. Even the FBI has reported that there are 10s of 1000s of slaves in America at any given moment and 10s of 1000s are trafficked into America each year.

[levoyageur]

sad story

[punkindmb]

Especially that poor soul who looks to be about 70.

[mrmikes]

St Thomas, chosen of God rehabilitation center: We offer prayer, counseling, slavery, sexual abuse, broken bones, and malnutrition. Gack!

[den1953]

Whats the big deal that picture looks like the local Home Depot parking lot!

[thundermummy]

Stay kkklassy.

[sahmaybe]

Not funny.

[mrmikes]

You have that many SWAT cops at the Home Depot? I guess I'm sticking with Lowes.

[MeloMelo66]

Wkipedia

[ipastor01]

Before anybody gets all condescending towards Mexico (and they will), let me say that this type of occurrence are common to this type of industry world wide. Clothing and garment manufacturing has had a bad record of labor violations. Now, if you want to find slaves in the US, check out those massage parlors.

[winningticket]

Or check out Saipan in the CNMI (Commonweath of the Northern Mariana Islands) where "Made in the USA" is synonomous with exploited labor.

[WhatDaBleep]

Darn, Another capitalist venture down the tubes.

[LeroyJenkins]

how much you wanna bet they were making fake Louis Vuittons that people buy in Chinatown?

[Waltfl]

Or real ones.

[GardenerNorCal]

Brave new world we live in today isn't it? I guess NAFTA and the SPP haven't lead to wealth and abundance in Mexico except for a few.

[graffitijoe]

No wonder 10% of all Mexicans live inside the United States, they have created quite a slime pit of a country for themselves down there.

[ObamAtomic]

I wonder why Hispanics don't vote Republicans,let me guess ,UN-compassionates
with the human misery.Good Riddance neo-cons.

[tommy8]

They vote democratic because they know they can get something for nothing just buy crossing the border.

[v eyepete]

To say that they have created a pit of a country for themselves would be like me saying you created this country the way it is. These are helpless uneducated people who don't even speak Spanish, but the language of the indigenous people the Spanish usurped. This is about greed and corruption of which is no stranger to this country. Think bankers and bailouts and people getting fired from their jobs, so those who remain can do the work of three. Salvery? We just dress it up better here.

[JohnFromCensornati]

The same thing is almost certainly happening in the USA.

[TamPhi]

Yep. 121 slaves were freed in Houston a few years ago. Mexico doesn't have a corner on the human trafficking market.

http://www.notforsalecampaign.org/

[ZenCrusader]

Mexico is NOT a slime pit. I don't know which is worse, your ignorance or your inferred superiority.

[shutterbabe]

ZenCrusader,

Gracias for your strong comment. I lived outside of Mexico City for 14 years and know from personal experience that the media portrays the very worst of this country. It is a beautiful place, rich in history and is geographically diverse. I have found the people to be warm and full of pride.

Yes, there are problems in many of the states of Mexico but in retrospect the United States is not innocent either.

This story is a heinous one. It is a global happening, not just isolated to one country.

Anyone who has had the opportunity to explore Mexico beyond its frontiers would find an exquisite world awaiting them.

[mrmikes]

I agree. My ex-wife used to think that if you spoke slowly and a little louder, them Mexicans would surely understand [english]. Inferred superiority over real ignorance can be very embarrassing.

[tommy8]

Obviously you have never been to Mexico before.

[Ohioliberal]

let me guess "They are doing the jobs Mexicans won't do?"

[joceeco]

What a clever comment....LOL.

[CherrySpring]

LOL