MEXICO CITY ( 39 Migrants Rescued from Ranch in Northern Mexico )

MEXICO CITY – Mexican authorities rescued 39 migrants who were allegedly being held captive at a ranch in the northern state of Sonora and arrested four suspects, the federal Attorney General’s Office said.

The director of the AG’s office’s Criminal Investigations Agency, Tomas Zeron, said intelligence work and the monitoring of drug- and migrant-smuggling routes led authorities to the ranch, located near the U.S.-Mexico border in the municipality of Altar.

In addition to agents in the AG’s office, Mexican army soldiers and state police also took part in operation, which freed 26 Mexicans and 13 foreigners who were trying to reach U.S. soil.

Among the detainees was a man responsible for the ranch who allegedly extorted money from the migrants, demanding payments of up to $7,000.

Authorities also confiscated drugs and weapons at the property.