Hundreds of Ukrainians paid thousands of dollars for the opportunity to come the United States, authorities said, many of whom ended up working as prostitutes to pay any unpaid fees. Three more were being sought. If the immigrants couldn't pay the fees, the authorities said, they were forced into prostitution. There, she and other Ukrainians were taught to appear American and eventually were guided across the border. The operation echoed the plot of a popular crime drama seen on NBC-TV just last week.
Officials say that human-smuggling operations are a rising global concern.
CNN Correspondent Charles Feldman contributed to this report. An AOL Time Warner Company. All Rights Reserved. Terms under which this service is provided to you. Read our privacy guidelines .