An Iranian national has been arrested on charges of smuggling illegal aliens, primarily Iranian nationals, into the United States through Latin America, according to the Department of Justice.
Colombian authorities arrested Jafar Tafakori, 57, on Thursday in Pereira, Colombia, at the request of the United States, the DOJ said in a news release. Tafakori is expected to face prosecution in federal court in the Western District of Texas following extradition.
Tafakori faces 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, the DOJ said, citing an indictment unsealed Friday in the Western District of Texas.
If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in prison for each count. If convicted of three or more counts of bringing an alien to the United States for financial gain, Tafakori faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and a maximum of 15 years.
"Securing our borders and stopping alien smuggling is a top priority for the Department of Justice," Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said in a statement.
"This defendant allegedly transported many illegal aliens into the United States, exploiting our nation's immigration laws and depriving our immigration officials of the ability to vet and review the individuals entering our communities."
Prosecutors allege that from December 2022 to May 2024, Tafakori facilitated the illegal entry of primarily Iranian nationals into the United States, charging some individuals up to $30,000.
He is accused of coordinating with others to provide shelter and transportation, and at times airline tickets, as the migrants traveled through South and Central America and Mexico. He then allegedly directed them to cross the U.S.-Mexico border illegally.
"Based on this indictment, Colombian authorities acted fast and arrested Tafakori, and when he is extradited, he will face justice in the United States," Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the DOJ's Criminal Division said in a statement.
"Those who endanger our communities by participating in human smuggling across our borders will be apprehended regardless of whether they live in the United States or abroad."
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 the Joint Task Force Alpha, which target transnational criminal organizations and human smuggling rings.
Michael Katz ✉
Michael Katz is a Newsmax reporter with more than 30 years of experience reporting and editing on news, culture, and politics.
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