L.A. jury convicts two Chinese on human smuggling charges
A jury in Los Angeles has convicted Jian Rong Tan and Wen Hsue Chang, both Chinese nationals, on charges of human smuggling relating to the discovery in February of 19 Chinese inside a shipping container at the Port of Los Angeles. Both men will be sentenced in federal court August 26.
According to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Tan and Chang traveled with the smuggled migrants inside the 40-foot shipping container on board the “Ningbo,” a Cypriot-flagged vessel. They served as enforcers during the journey and controlled the group’s access to food. The container had been fitted with several car batteries used to power small portable fans.
ICE agents said each immigrant was charged $40,000 for the trip to the United States.