DOJ charges Iranian man with smuggling migrants

Federal prosecutors unsealed an indictment charging an Iranian national with coordinating an alien smuggling operation that funneled primarily Iranian migrants into the United States through South and Central America, the Justice Department announced.

Jafar Tafakori, 57, was arrested April 23 in Pereira, Colombia, at the request of the United States, according to the indictment filed in the Western District of Texas.

Prosecutors allege that from at least December 2022 through May 2024, Tafakori organized and facilitated the illegal entry of large numbers of aliens — predominantly Iranian nationals — into the United States, charging some migrants as much as $30,000 for his services. In exchange for payment, Tafakori coordinated shelter, transportation and occasionally airline tickets for migrants traveling through South and Central America and Mexico before directing them to cross the U.S.-Mexico border illegally, the indictment 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. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for each count; if convicted on three or more of the financial-gain counts, he faces a mandatory minimum of five years and a maximum of 15 years in federal prison.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said the case reflects the department’s priority of securing the border and stopping alien smuggling, adding that the defendant allegedly exploited immigration laws and undermined the government’s ability to vet individuals entering the country. U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas said the case underscores the dangers of what he described as “open-border policies” and reflects the administration’s commitment to prosecuting those who exploit border security gaps.

HSI San Antonio led the investigation with support from the HSI Human Smuggling Unit, Customs and Border Protection’s National Targeting Center, Border Patrol’s Del Rio Sector Intelligence Unit, HSI Bogotá and Colombian law enforcement partners.

Colombian authorities arrested Tafakori pursuant to a U.S. request, officials said.

The case was supported and prosecuted in coordination with Joint Task Force Alpha, the DOJ-DHS partnership targeting cartel-linked human smuggling and trafficking networks across the Americas. The task force has secured more than 455 arrests and 400 U.S. convictions to date, the Justice Department said.

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The prosecution is also part of the Homeland Security Task Force initiative established under Executive Order 14159.

An indictment is an allegation; Tafakori is presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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