Bangladeshi extradited from Brazil to US over alleged migrant smuggling conspiracy: DOJ

A Bangladeshi national has been extradited from Brazil to the United States to face charges over his alleged role in a transcontinental human smuggling network that prosecutors say moved migrants from Bangladesh to the United States through South and Central America.

The US Department of Justice said Saifullah Al-Mamun, 39, made his initial court appearance in Laredo, Texas, after being extradited from Brazil on 8 July following an international investigation, according to a press release by the US Department of Justice.

According to the Justice Department, Al-Mamun is charged with conspiracy to bring aliens to the United States, multiple counts of bringing aliens to the country for financial gain, and conspiracy to encourage and induce illegal entry.

Prosecutors allege that Al-Mamun played a leading role in a network that transported migrants, primarily from Bangladesh, along a route that began in São Paulo, Brazil, passed through several countries in South and Central America, continued through Mexico, and ended with attempts to cross the Rio Grande River into the United States.

The Justice Department said migrants paid tens of thousands of dollars to smugglers in Bangladesh to facilitate the journey.

According to prosecutors, Al-Mamun was responsible for housing migrants in São Paulo and arranging their onward travel through South and Central America.

The indictment alleges that Mohamad Milon Hossain managed housing and transportation for migrants in Tapachula, Mexico, while Moktar Hossain provided accommodation in Monterrey and instructed migrants on how to cross the Rio Grande River.

The Justice Department said many of those being smuggled experienced significant difficulty safely crossing the river.

Mohamad Milon Hossain and Moktar Hossain pleaded guilty to their roles in the operation and were each sentenced to 46 months in prison, according to the department.

Al-Mamun was arrested in Brazil on 31 Oct. 2019 after what the Justice Department described as an extensive international investigation led by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Phoenix with support from the Brazilian Federal Police, HSI Brasilia and the US Embassy in Brazil.

The department said its Office of International Affairs helped secure Al-Mamun's arrest and extradition. The investigation was also supported by Joint Task Force Alpha, a partnership between the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security focused on disrupting human smuggling and trafficking organisations.

If convicted on all counts of bringing aliens to the United States for financial gain, Al-Mamun faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and a maximum of 15 years in prison, the Justice Department said. The conspiracy charges each carry a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.

An indictment is an allegation, and Al-Mamun is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.