ICE Featured on "Extreme Smuggling" Television Show

Semi-submersibles, ultralight planes, rigged cars, underground tunnels, and catapults; these are just some of the devious methods used by drug smugglers to get their products across our borders. It is this kind of diabolically inventive thinking that the special agents of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) must contend with every day.

In the premiere episode of Extreme Smuggling, which aired Monday, January 14, 2013 on the Discovery Channel, former smugglers, law enforcement and military professionals gave first-hand accounts of their experiences in the ongoing war against the drug trade.  Future episodes will explore the extremes to which criminals will go in their efforts to smuggle everything from narcotics to exotic animals, and the people whose job it is to stop them. 

Tune in every Monday at 8/7c through February 4th for new episodes of Extreme Smuggling.

Episodes will be repeated throughout the week. Check your local listings for times.

Attorney Alex Meyerovich Speaks Out Against Human Trafficking on Connecticut News12

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. -- M.C. Law Group Attorney Alex Meyerovich recently appeared on the Connecticut News12 program "Our Lives" to speak out against human trafficking.

Also known as "modern day slavery," reported cases of human trafficking have risen 60% in 2011 compared to 2010, according to the National Human Trafficking Resource Center (HTRS). Reported cases of human trafficking have been steadily increasing for the last five years.

Attorney Meyerovich discussed human trafficking with "Our Lives" host Gwen Edwards, and explained that human trafficking is on the rise because the financial gain of exploiting human life is simply too great.

"It's widespread because it's cheap labor, and billions of dollars are involved -- it's supply and demand," Meyerovich said.

Human trafficking occurs when a victim is held hostage and forced to work against their will, commonly as commercial sex workers, drug traffickers, or laborers in unregulated industries. Victims are often held in deplorable conditions and suffer physical and sexual abuse.

Attorney Meyerovich, whose firm specializes in immigration law, knows how susceptible illegal immigrants are in particular to human traffickers. Immigrants pay smugglers to be brought into the U.S. illegally, and on arrival smugglers demand more money from their captives. Immigrants then must work to repay their "debts," and are held hostage with threats of violence or deportation.

"I've dealt with victims running away from drug cartels and sexual exploitation," said Meyerovich of past clients affected by human trafficking. "They're traumatized and afraid to talk."

Human trafficking victims are not likely to seek help for fear of retribution. The problem goes unnoticed by most Americans because victims remain silent and are often hidden in plain sight.

Meyerovich also urged parents to be aware of how vulnerable children are to human traffickers and sexual exploitation, especially in an age of exposure through social media.

"People need to know that it happens, and that it is very easy to manipulate kids' minds," Meyerovich said. "Children are extorted and threatened to be exposed on Facebook, or to their parents and teachers…and they become victims of sexual exploitation."

In fact, sex trafficking preys on Americans at a shocking rate, with HTRS reporting that 80% of sex trafficking victims are U.S. citizens. "Our Lives" host Ms. Edwards and Meyerovich urged viewers -- and especially parents -- to be aware that human trafficking and sexual exploitation exists in communities throughout the U.S.

"Parents need to be educated that their kid's classmate could be a victim of human trafficking," Meyerovich added, explaining that young victims may still attend school, but may act shy and fearful of their peers and teachers.

Ultimately, Meyerovich offered a dual solution to combat human trafficking: increased awareness and immigration reform. Only with both, Meyerovich explained, will "modern day slavery" become a thing of the past.

Watch the full "Our Lives" segment featuring Attorney Meyerovich below:

To learn more about human trafficking, including how to recognize victims and report suspected cases, visit the National Human Trafficking Resource Center.

Attorney Alex Meyerovich Speaks Out Against Human Trafficking

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. -- M.C. Law Group Attorney Alex Meyerovich spoke out recently against the rise of human trafficking, also known as "modern day slavery," in the United States.

Reported cases of human trafficking have risen 60% in 2011 compared to 2010, according to the National Human Trafficking Resource Center (HTRS). In fact, reported cases of human trafficking have been steadily increasing for the last five years. Attorney Meyerovich offered a simple explanation for this increase in human trafficking during a recent interview with Connecticut News12.

"Human trafficking is a lucrative business. It generates billions," said Attorney Meyerovich of the industry.

Human trafficking occurs when a victim is held hostage and forced to work against their will. Victims are commonly coerced into becoming commercial sex workers, drug traffickers, or laborers in unregulated industries. Additionally, these victims are often held in deplorable conditions, and suffer physical and sexual abuse.

Local attorneys like Meyerovich are speaking out alongside lawmakers to raise awareness about this prolific, but often unnoticed, human rights issue. In fact, Senator Richard Blumenthal recently joined with Senator Robert Portman of Ohio to co-chair the Senate Caucus to End Human Trafficking. The caucus will provide a platform for its thirteen members to combat human trafficking and promote increased awareness about this serious issue.

"This kind of modern day slavery is intolerable," Senator Blumenthal told Connecticut News 12. "These people are treated as inhuman."

Human trafficking goes unnoticed by most citizens because victims are often hidden in plain sight. Traffickers prey on society's most vulnerable, targeting children and young girls, disabled individuals, and illegal immigrants. These vulnerable victims are not likely to seek help for fear of retribution: if they attempt to escape or alert authorities, they suffer horrific abuse and threats of violence -- or worse.

"If they don't obey, they're likely to be killed," Meyerovich said of the impossible situation these victims are placed in.

Attorney Meyerovich, whose firm specializes in immigration law, knows how particularly susceptible illegal immigrants are to human traffickers. Meyerovich explained that immigrants pay alien smugglers exorbitant fees to be brought into the U.S. illegally. Once they arrive, the smugglers demand additional payment for their services, which immigrants cannot afford. They are then coerced into forced labor to repay their "debts," and are held hostage indefinitely. Victims are constantly intimidated with threats of being reported to immigration enforcement, and even the murder of themselves and their loved ones.

"These immigrants risk everything for a better life in the U.S., and instead are forced to endure a nightmare of unimaginable abuse when they arrive," said Attorney Meyerovich. "They are scared, often don't speak English, and have no knowledge that U.S. immigration laws protect victims of human trafficking, regardless of their legal status."

However, U.S. citizens are just as vulnerable to being forced into labor in their own country. While HTRS reports 70% of labor trafficking victims are undocumented immigrants, 80% of sex trafficking victims are U.S. citizens.

"Most American citizens would react with fury and outrage if they knew about it," Senator Blumenthal commented.

Local attorneys like Meyerovich and prominent lawmakers like Senator Blumenthal hope that increased awareness about human trafficking will help turn the tide against modern day slavery. To learn more about human trafficking, including how to recognize victims and report suspected cases, visit the National Human Trafficking Resource Center. To learn more about Senator Blumenthal's involvement in the Senate Caucus to End Human Trafficking, visit his official website.

To watch the full interview featuring Attorney Meyerovich and Senator Blumenthal, watch the video below.

Brazilian Native Suspected of Child Trafficking Deported

A Brazilian woman wanted in her native country as a suspect in a child trafficking investigation was deported and turned over to Brazilian federal police Wednesday, June 27, 2012, by agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Phoenix.

Vania Maria Plasse, 47, of Governador Valaderes, Brazil, was repatriated to Brazil aboard a commercial aircraft under escort by ERO agents. Plasse, who was previously held in immigration detention in Arizona, was turned over to Brazilian authorities at Guarulhos International Airport in Sao Paulo the morning of Wednesday, June 27, 2012. She is charged in a criminal arrest warrant issued in April 2011 by a Brazilian federal judge related to a child trafficking investigation.

"Plasse's return to Brazil to face criminal charges is the result of close international cooperation between ICE personnel in Arizona, our ICE attaché staff in Brazil and Brazilian law enforcement," said Katrina S. Kane, field office director of ERO Phoenix. "ICE is committed to working closely with our law enforcement partners here and abroad to ensure these individuals are identified and brought to justice."

Plasse was first encountered by U.S. authorities January 12, 2011, when she was arrested by agents with the U.S. Border Patrol's Tucson Sector after entering the U.S. illegally near Nogales. Plasse was subsequently issued a notice to appear before an immigration judge and transferred to ICE custody, where she was placed in immigration detention at the Eloy Detention Center while undergoing removal proceedings.

In April 2011, the ICE attaché office at the U.S. Embassy in Brasilia notified ICE officials in Arizona that Brazilian authorities had just issued an arrest warrant for Plasse related to a child trafficking investigation. Assistant Chief Counsel Ryan Goldstein from ICE's Office of the Chief Counsel Phoenix handled the ensuing immigration court litigation and in May 2012, an immigration judge with the Department of Justice's Executive Office for Immigration Review ordered Plasse deported.

Since Oct. 1, 2009, ERO has removed about 455 foreign fugitives from the United States who were being sought in their native countries for serious crimes, including kidnapping, rape and murder. ERO works with ICE's Office of International Affairs, foreign consular offices in the United States, and Interpol to identify foreign fugitives illegally present in the country.

ICE El Paso Unit a Center for Border Control

A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agent contacted the El Paso Intelligence Center to place a nationwide alert on a vehicle of interest. The next day, the special agent received notice on his BlackBerry that a camera at a southwest border port of entry had captured an image of the vehicle's license plate. Border authorities stopped the vehicle, which was en route to Mexico, because of the nationwide alert. They discovered and seized an array of weapons in the vehicle's trunk.

The El Paso Intelligence Center is an information focal point, collecting and analyzing interdiction reports and multi-source intelligence to identify and track trafficking activities and organizations, identify and fill intelligence gaps, and provide tactical intelligence to law enforcement officers in the field.

The multi-agency center is hosted by the Drug Enforcement Agency and has grown to include more than 26 federal, state, local, tribal and foreign enforcement agencies. Foreign partners include Mexico and Colombia.

Located within a stone's throw of the Mexican border – in El Paso, Texas – its mission is not limited to only border activity. In fact, its scope is vast, covering activity within the United States, on both sides of the U.S./Mexican border, across the Caribbean and from other points of origin within the Western Hemisphere.

"The center's mission evolved after Sept. 11 when then center's multi-agency environment was called upon to support terrorism investigations," said Louie Garcia, the center's deputy director and the first ICE employee to hold this position in the center's 38-year history. "The mission evolved from its experience in supporting interdiction efforts and investigating drug trafficking, alien, weapon and bulk currency smuggling by adding anti-terrorism to its efforts."
Garcia calls it an "all-threat center."

Its expansive network of systems and databases make it the go-to hub for investigators and officers alike.

At the core of the center's activities is the Watch Operations Section, where officers work around the clock, seven days a week to support officers and special agents who are actively engaged in enforcement activities and in need of immediate tactical information. Utilizing more than 70 federal, state and local databases, the staff has a wealth of critical information at its fingertips to assist at a moment's notice.

A Tuscaloosa County deputy sheriff recently relied on the center when he had a hunch that something wasn't right about a Texas-registered tractor trailer. He made a call to the center's Watch Operations Section, requesting a full search on two subjects, the trucking company and the trailer's license plate. Within minutes, the center's search revealed there was an active investigation by HSI on one of the subjects. Additionally during the search of the trailer, the deputy found $130,000 in U.S. currency tucked away in a false wall.

Having this type of background information at hand enables officers to make better decisions and enhance their safety measures.

Additionally, the center's Research and Analysis Section also offers valuable information. It provides statistical and trend information to case-specific research and analysis, both proactively and on a by-request basis.

"The center's mission, and the work conducted at the center, is vital to our national security," said Garcia.

3 Arrested, Charged for International Sex Trafficking Ring

A Los Angeles man, along with his current wife and ex-wife, face federal charges following a 10-month probe that allegedly revealed they recruited women in Eastern Europe and arranged for them to come to the Los Angeles area to work as prostitutes.

Mher "Mike" Hakopyan, 38; his current wife, Natalya Muravyeva, 31; and his ex-wife, Alla Kassianova, 43, are accused in a federal complaint of conspiracy to transport in furtherance of prostitution. According to the case affidavit, the defendants operated a large-scale prostitution enterprise that brought women, primarily from Eastern Europe, to Southern California to work in the sex trade. Hakopyan and Muravyeva were arrested by special agents with U.S.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and detectives from the Santa Monica Police Department Monday. Kassianova is still being sought at this time and investigators believe she may be out of the country.

The charges are the culmination of a joint probe by HSI and the Santa Monica Police Department. The two agencies received substantial assistance with the investigation from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California.

"The Department of Justice is committed to protecting vulnerable victims from ruthless profiteers," said U.S. Attorney André Birotte Jr. "International prostitution rings like the one alleged in this case span jurisdictions and have a direct negative impact on both the women involved and also on our local communities. That is why partnerships with local law enforcement agencies, like the Santa Monica Police Department, are vital to our continued success in investigating and in prosecuting this criminal behavior."

According to the case affidavit, the defendants used recruiters in Eastern Europe to identify women who were potentially interested in working for the criminal organization. The defendants then allegedly purchased the women plane tickets and coached them how to enter the United States through the Visa Waiver Program.

Once the women arrived in the Los Angeles area, it is alleged the defendants helped them find housing and arranged for them to be professionally photographed. The provocative pictures were subsequently posted on various websites the defendants used to promote the ring's services, including eros-guide.com, cityvibe.com and thatmall.com. The case affidavit references 14 women definitively identified by special agents during the investigation whom the defendants either brought to the U.S. or attempted to bring to the U.S. to work as prostitutes.

"Criminal ventures like this degrade the quality of life in our neighborhoods, as well as the women involved," said Claude Arnold, special agent in charge of HSI Los Angeles. "HSI will continue to work closely with federal prosecutors and our law enforcement partners to attack and dismantle these types of enterprises that prey on the vulnerable and often bring other criminal activity into our area."

"If the allegations in this case prove true, the defendants' actions were reprehensible," said Santa Monica Police Chief Jacqueline Seabrooks. "I am quite pleased that our detectives' collaborative work with the federal authorities resulted in the service of warrants and the apprehension of predators who think nothing of taking advantage of a vulnerable segment of our community."

During Monday's enforcement action, special agents executed search warrants at a Los Angeles residence and two area apartments that are suspected of serving as brothels for the ring.

The probe began in September 2011 after CBP officers intercepted two Latvian women at Los Angeles International Airport who were attempting to enter the United States under the Visa Waiver Program. When questioned by CBP officers about the purpose of their trip, the women's stories included many inconsistencies. Subsequently, a query of DHS databases indicated the women's travel reservations had been made by defendant Hakopyan. The women were ultimately refused entry and returned to Moscow.

"This case demonstrates the keen instincts and high level of vigilance of CBP officers at LAX for the detection and disruption of foreign criminal ventures in the United States," said Todd C. Owen, CBP director of Field Operations in Los Angeles. "These arrests highlight the spirit of cooperation and collaboration between our federal agencies, as well as with our local law enforcement partners."

Hakopyan and Muravyeva made their initial appearance in federal court in Santa Ana the afternoon of Monday, June 18, 2012. Both were ordered held without bail. If convicted of the current charge contained in the criminal complaint, the defendants each face a maximum penalty of five years in prison.

Sentencing for Six Involved in Human Trafficking Ring

Six people were sentenced Thursday, May 24, for their roles in a conspiracy to harbor and transport illegal aliens, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson, Southern District of Texas, and Robert Rutt, special agent in charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Houston.

On May 24, the following co-conspirators were sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge Janis Graham Jack: Petronilo Sanchez-Jimenez, 42, Norma Leticia Silva-Garcia, aka Norma Sanchez and Norma Rocha, 38, and Sandro Alvarez-Maldonado, 35, all from Edinburg, Texas; Oscar Garza-Perales, 28, from Wharton, Texas; and Tracy Howard, 47, and Christian Russo, 39, both from Houston.

Sanchez-Jimenez, who smuggled illegal aliens across the border and harbored them in stash houses located in the Rio Grande Valley, was sentenced to 87 months in prison. Silva-Garcia and Alvarez-Maldonado assisted Sanchez-Jimenez in harboring illegal aliens. Both received 67 and 51 months in prison, respectively. Howard and Russo, who began the smuggling operation by transporting aliens themselves, later recruited drivers for the organization. They were sentenced to respective sentences of 87 and 78 months in prison. Garza-Perales also recruited drivers and was sentenced to 71 months. The remaining 23 co-conspirators identified in this investigation are scheduled to be sentenced later this year.

The leader of the conspiracy — Armando Olmedo-Trevino, 47, of Wharton, Texas — is scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 16. According to his guilty plea, he and others engaged in a conspiracy to harbor and transport illegal aliens from Aug. 9, 2002, until his arrest Jan. 27. He began transporting aliens himself. He was caught transporting aliens on at least two occasions. Afterward, he became the leader, running the operation from his Wharton home.

With the exception of aliens smuggled across ranches in the Falfurrias, Texas, area, illegal aliens were picked up in the Edinburg area and transported north through a border patrol checkpoint in Falfurrias or Sarita, Texas. In most cases, no more than five illegal aliens were transported, hidden under blankets or luggage in between the seats of an SUV or minivan. However, in a few instances, illegal aliens were transported in other ways, such as in the trunk of a car. In June 2011, Olmedo and others modified a trailer with a false compartment that was intended to conceal up to 15 illegal aliens.

Over the course of the 10-year conspiracy, HSI special agents seized about 400 aliens being transported by the organization. The organization transported an estimated 40 aliens per month.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chad W. Cowan and Jeffrey D. Preston, Southern District of Texas, are prosecuting this case.

HSI Agents Honored for National Crime Victims' Rights Week

Two special agents assigned to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Arizona were honored Thursday, April 26, by the acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Arizona as part of the Department of Justice's (DOJ) National Crime Victims' Rights Week.

HSI Special Agents Evangelina Cardenas and John Koski were among six law enforcement officers and prosecutors honored during a ceremony at the U. S. Attorney's Office for their work providing vital support and services to crime victims.

"The United States Attorney's Office is deeply committed to seeking justice on behalf of crime victims and their families," said Ann Birmingham Scheel, acting U.S. attorney for the District of Arizona. "Our prosecutors and advocates work diligently with our law enforcement partners to ensure that crime victims and their families obtain the services and assistance they need to help them get through difficult and challenging times in their lives."

Cardenas, a special agent assigned to HSI Tucson, was lauded for her work as an HSI victim assistance coordinator, a position she has held since December 2009. In the course of her work, Cardenas has responded numerous times to human smuggling drop houses, hospitals and other locations to work with victims of violent crimes such as assault, sexual assault and hostage taking. Cardenas was noted in particular for her work providing assistance to unaccompanied children found in drop houses or rescued from human smugglers who were holding them for ransom. In these cases, she worked closely with agencies such as Arizona Child Protective Services, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Mexican consulate to help reunite these children with their parents.

Koski, a special agent assigned to HSI Flagstaff, was honored for his investigative work on human trafficking cases, particularly a forced labor investigation. Koski's close coordination with other federal, state and local law enforcement agencies and his keen investigative work brought trafficking victims to safety and helped bring alleged traffickers to justice. Koski was heralded for his caring response to victims and his work to ensure trafficking victims received vital victim services, resource referrals and the support they needed through the justice process.

"I am extremely proud of the dedication and professionalism of Special Agents Evangelina Cardenas and John Koski," said Matt Allen, special agent in charge of HSI Arizona. "Their tireless efforts have saved lives, served victims and helped bring the perpetrators of crime to justice. It's an honor to wear the same HSI badge as these fine law enforcement professionals."

The Crime Victims' Rights Act, enacted in 2004, grants victims in federal criminal proceedings certain enforceable rights, including the right to be reasonably heard at public court proceedings and to receive full and timely restitution as provided by law.

National Crime Victims' Rights Week, commemorated each April since 1981, is organized by the DOJ's Office for Victims of Crime. The event promotes victims' rights and honors crime victims and those who advocate on their behalf. This year's theme, "Extending the Vision: Reaching Every Victim," calls on all of us to expand the vision that inspired the victims' movement and to celebrate the progress achieved thus far.