CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Jafar Tafakori, a 57-year-old Iranian national, was arrested in Colombia and faces federal charges for allegedly orchestrating a human smuggling network that brought Iranian nationals into the United States.
Colombian authorities issued a warrant and arrested Tafakori on April 23 in Pereira, Colombia, following a request from the United States. An indictment was unsealed today in the Western District of Texas charging him with one count of conspiracy to bring an alien to the United States and five counts of bringing an alien to the United States for financial gain.
From at least Dec. 1, 2022, through May 15, 2024, Tafakori allegedly coordinated the smuggling of large numbers of people, primarily Iranian nationals.
Tafakori charged some individuals as much as $30,000 for his services. In exchange for payment, he coordinated with others to provide shelter, transportation, and occasionally airline tickets for the individuals to travel through South America, Central America, and Mexico.
Once the individuals reached the U.S.-Mexico border, they were directed to illegally enter the United States.
"Securing our borders and stopping alien smuggling is a top priority for the Department of Justice," Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said.
"This defendant allegedly transported many illegal aliens into the United States, exploiting our nation’s immigration laws and depriving our immigration officials the ability to vet and review the individuals entering our communities," Blanche said.
"Jafar Tafakori allegedly smuggled Iranian nationals illegally into the United States for 18 months," Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva said.
"Based on this indictment, Colombian authorities acted fast and arrested Tafakori, and when he is extradited, he will face justice in the United States," Duva said.
"Tafakori’s actions demonstrate the inherent dangers of an open-border policy," U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons said.
"The enemy was at the gate, and the gate was left wide open," Simmons said.
"The arrest of this Iranian national involved in smuggling large numbers of individuals — primarily fellow Iranian citizens — into the United States underscores the global reach and threat of human smuggling networks," Assistant Director Ricardo Mayoral said.
If convicted, Tafakori faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for each count. If convicted of three or more counts of illegally bringing an alien to the United States for financial gain, he faces a mandatory minimum penalty of five years and a maximum penalty of 15 years.
The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations in San Antonio, with assistance from multiple national and international agencies, including Colombian law enforcement. The prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force and Joint Task Force Alpha, which target transnational criminal organizations and human smuggling rings.
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