An Iranian national has been charged with allegedly smuggling a large group of illegal aliens into the United States, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ) on Friday.
Jafar Tafakori, 57, was taken into custody in Colombia on April 23, at the request of the United States.
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, according to an indictment unsealed Friday in the Western District of Texas.
Prosecutors said Tafakori allegedly coordinated a scheme to smuggle large numbers of people, mostly Iranian nationals, over the span of 18 months.
He also made money from his smuggling services, charging some of them as much as $30,000 for his services.
Tafakori is alleged to have carried out the scheme for at least 18 months, from at least Dec. 1, 2022, through May 15, 2024.
In exchange for payment, he coordinated with others to provide shelter, transportation, and at times airline tickets for some of them to travel through South America, Central America, and Mexico. Those individuals were directed to illegally enter the U.S. when they reached the southern border.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said in a statement that Tafakori exploited the nation’s immigration laws and kept immigration officials from vetting the people whom he helped smuggle into the United States.
U.S. Attorney Justin Simmons for the Western District of Texas said the case reflects the dangers of open-border policies.
This particular case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force and Joint Task Force Alpha, which combats transnational criminal organizations and human smuggling rings.
The investigation was headed by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) San Antonio, with help from D.C-based HSI Human Smuggling Unit and the U.S. Border Patrol’s Del Rio Sector Intelligence Unit.
Authorities in Colombia also helped with the investigation, including HSI Bogotá and the Colombian Attorney General’s Office.
It's unclear whether Tafakori has an attorney.
He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for each count, if convicted. He faces a mandatory minimum penalty of five years and a maximum penalty of 15 years if convicted of three or more counts of illegally bringing an alien to the U.S. for financial gain.