ICE details U.S-Brazil human smuggling ring disruption

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) recently detailed a United States-Brazil collaboration that disrupted a major human trafficking operation.

ICE officials indicated a probe spearheaded by the agency’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in conjunction with the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division and the Brazilian Federal Police led to eight arrests and the disbanding of the scheme in Brazil.

Through Operation Blood Ties Brazilian, authorities enforced 21 search warrants and eight arrests in the states of Sao Paulo and Minas Gerais, adding those apprehended included Lebanese, Bangladeshi and Brazilian nationals on Brazilian federal charges of human smuggling and operating a criminal enterprise.

“Transnational criminal organizations involved with human smuggling are a continuing threat to border security, public safety, and national security, but today through our strong domestic and international partnerships, we were able to significantly impact their network,” Scott Brown, special agent in charge for HSI Phoenix, said. “HSI is fully committed to working with partner nations to identify and dismantle illicit activities and criminal organizations worldwide who pose a threat to our nation.”

The human smuggling organization is allegedly responsible for smuggling scores of individuals from Bangladesh and other countries in South Asia into Brazil, with the United States being the ultimate destination.

“We are grateful to the Brazilian Federal Police for their continued partnership in combating transnational criminal organizations,” HSI Brasilia Acting Attaché Patrick Chen said. “This successful operation shows the importance of international collaboration when it comes to disrupting human smuggling networks who undermine our immigration system and put countless lives at risk while doing so.”