Bangladeshi National Extradited from Brazil to Face Charges for Role in Transnational Criminal Human Smuggling Organization

Bangladeshi national Saifullah Al-Mamun, 39, made his initial appearance in Laredo, Texas, today after being extradited from Brazil on July 8. A second superseding indictment charges Al-Mamun for his role in a conspiracy that smuggled aliens from Bangladesh into the United States.

According to court documents, Al-Mamun and his co-defendants - Mohamad Milon Hossain, 46 and Moktar Hossain, 38, both of Bangladesh - participated in a wide-ranging human smuggling operation and assisted other smugglers by facilitating the travel of scores of aliens from São Paulo, Brazil, and other locations in South America, Central America, and Mexico so that the aliens could illegally enter the United States. Al-Mamun housed aliens in São Paulo and arranged their travel, Mohamad Milon Hossain housed aliens in Tapachula, Mexico, and facilitated their transportation to Monterrey, Mexico. Moktar Hossain housed aliens in Monterrey and instructed them how to cross the Rio Grande River into the United States. Many of the aliens had difficulty safely crossing the Rio Grande River. The aliens paid as much as tens of thousands of dollars to individuals in Bangladesh to help them travel illegally to the United States. Al-Mamun was arrested in Brazil on Oct. 31, 2019.

Mohamad Milon Hossain pleaded guilty to his role in the operation and was sentenced to 46 months in prison. Moktar Hossain also pleaded guilty to his role in the operation and was also sentenced to 46 months in prison.

Al-Mamun is charged with conspiracy to bring an alien to the United States, multiple counts of bringing an alien to the United States for financial gain, and conspiracy to encourage and induce an alien to enter the United States. If convicted on all counts of bringing an alien to the United States for financial gain, he faces a minimum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. If convicted of conspiracy to bring and/or conspiracy to encourage and induce and alien to enter the United States, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.

Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department's Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Aaron Reitz for the Southern District of Texas; and Special Agent in Charge Jason T. Stevens of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Phoenix made the announcement.

HSI Phoenix is investigating this case with assistance from the HSI Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C., U.S. Customs and Border and Protection's International Interdiction Task Force, U.S. Customs and Border Protection - Counter Network Division, HSI Laredo, HSI Brasilia, HSI Bogota, , U.S. Embassy in Brazil including the State Department's Diplomatic Security Service, Brazil Federal Police, Colombian National Police, and the U.S. Marshals Service.

The Justice Department's Office of International Affairs (OIA) provided significant assistance in securing the defendant's arrest and extradition from Brazil. The Justice Department thanks its Brazilian law enforcement counterparts for their assistance in this matter.

The investigation and indictment were supported and prosecuted by Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA), the Department's lead effort in combating high-impact human smuggling and trafficking committed by cartels and Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs). A highly successful partnership between the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), JTFA investigates and prosecutes human smuggling and trafficking and related immigration crimes that impact public safety and border security. JTFA's mission is to target the leaders and organizers of Cartels and TCOs involved in human smuggling and trafficking throughout the Americas. The Attorney General has elevated and expanded JTFA to target the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating not only in Mexico and the Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras, but also in Canada, the Caribbean and the maritime border, and elsewhere. Led by the Criminal Division's Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and supported by the Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section, the Office of International Affairs, and the Office of Enforcement Operations, among others, JTFA has dedicated prosecutors from the Southern District of California; District of Arizona; District of New Mexico; Western and Southern Districts of Texas; Southern District of Florida; Northern District of New York; and District of Vermont. JTFA also partners with other U.S. Attorney's Offices throughout the country and supports high-priority cases in any district. All JTFA cases rely on substantial law enforcement resources from DHS, including ICE/HSI and Customs and Border Protection, Border Patrol and Office of Field Operations, as well as FBI and other law enforcement agencies. To date, JTFA's work has resulted in more than 464 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling and/or trafficking; more than 414 U.S. convictions; and more than 360 significant jail sentences imposed, and forfeitures of substantial assets.

Trial Attorney Spencer M. Perry of the Criminal Division's Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Leslie Cortez for the Southern District of Texas are prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.