Federal authorities unsealed an indictment in the Western District of Texas today, revealing the arrest of 57-year-old Jafar Tafakori for allegedly spearheading an international smuggling ring.
Tafakori, an Iranian national, was apprehended in Pereira, Colombia, following a request from the United States government. He is accused of spending eighteen months coordinating the illegal entry of large groups of migrants—mostly fellow Iranians—into the U.S. interior.
Between December 2022 and May 2024, Tafakori allegedly operated a sophisticated logistics network that spanned South and Central America. According to court documents, he charged migrants fees as high as $30,000. In exchange, he arranged for housing, ground transportation, and airline tickets to move people through Mexico toward the U.S. border, where they were eventually directed to cross illegally.
“Securing our borders and stopping alien smuggling is a top priority for the Department of Justice,” stated Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche.
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He noted that the operation allegedly exploited immigration laws and bypassed the ability of officials to vet individuals entering the country. Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva added that Colombian authorities acted quickly to secure the arrest and that Tafakori will face trial in the U.S. once his extradition is finalized.
U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons of the Western District of Texas was blunt regarding the case’s implications, stating, “The enemy was at the gate, and the gate was left wide open.” He credited the arrest to members of the Homeland Security Task Force, arguing that the indictment reinforces a commitment to prosecuting those who took advantage of what he described as “derelict open-border policies.”
The investigation was a massive multi-agency effort led by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) San Antonio, with help from the HSI Human Smuggling Unit and Colombian National Police. Ricardo Mayoral, Assistant Director of HSI International Operations, highlighted the “global reach” of such networks, noting that the collaboration between HSI Bogotá and San Antonio was vital in disrupting the transnational criminal activity.
Tafakori faces one count of conspiracy and five counts of bringing an alien to the United States for financial gain. The stakes are high: each count carries a maximum of 10 years in prison. However, if he is convicted on three or more counts of smuggling for profit, he faces a mandatory minimum of five years and a maximum of 15 years per count.
The case was prosecuted under the banner of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA), a specialized partnership between the DOJ and DHS designed to dismantle cartels and human trafficking groups.
To date, JTFA has led to over 455 arrests and 400 convictions. This specific prosecution is also part of the Homeland Security Task Force initiative, established by Executive Order 14159, which focuses on eliminating foreign gangs and criminal organizations operating both domestically and abroad.
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