Colombian authorities rescue 17 children from controversial Lev Tahor sect

Colombian immigration authorities have taken 17 children into protective custody after a weekend raid uncovered members of the ultra-Orthodox Jewish sect Lev Tahor, a group long accused of child abuse, kidnapping, and human trafficking across multiple countries.

Gloria Esperanza Arriero, director of Colombia’s national immigration service, confirmed to The Associated Press that officials questioned nine adult sect members during a hotel inspection on Sunday in the town of Yarumal, in northwestern Colombia.

Possible kidnapping, trafficking

Police said the operation took place on Saturday after residents alerted authorities to the group’s presence. Officers moved quickly, citing warning signs of a potential trafficking network.

According to a police report, “There are indications that some of them may have been kidnapped, suggesting a possible human trafficking scenario, under the guise of religious activity.”

The children — who come from several countries, including the United States and Guatemala — were moved to a government-run protection center.

Interpol alerts

Arriero said that five of the rescued children were listed in Interpol Yellow Notices, which are global alerts for missing persons or potential victims of parental or criminal abduction.

She said her agency acted after determining the group arrived in Colombia in late October and was staying in a hotel while looking for rural land to establish a new base.

Authorities intervened before sect set up compound

Arriero noted that officials were able to intervene quickly because the group lacked an established site.

“The positive thing in all of this is that we got to the children before they had a compound,” she said. “Because in that case, we would have required a search warrant.”

In Colombia, immigration officials are authorized to carry out checks in hotels to verify the legal status of foreign visitors and determine whether they are wanted by international law enforcement.

Allegations against Lev Tahor

Lev Tahor — known for strict religious practices where women and girls wear black tunics covering them from head to toe — has been the subject of numerous investigations in Canada, the US, Mexico, Guatemala, and Israel.

Founded in the 1980s, the sect relocated various times amid scrutiny. A portion of the community established itself in Guatemala in 2013. Authorities estimate Lev Tahor currently consists of around 50 families from several countries.