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May 20, 2011Newark, NJ, United StatesEnforcement and Removal

Polish man wanted on INTERPOL warrant removed from the United States

NEWARK, N.J. - A Polish national wanted on an INTERPOL warrant for the beating death of a person in his native country was deported from the United States Thursday by officers with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO).

Zbigniew Zajac, 37, was removed to Warsaw, Poland from Newark Liberty International Airport. Upon his arrival in Warsaw, ICE ERO officers turned him over to Polish law enforcement authorities.

Zajac was convicted in 2002 for the 1999 beating death of a man in the northeastern town of Ostrow Mazowiecka, Poland and in November 2002 was sentenced by the court of appeals in Warsaw to six years of depravation of liberty, but fled the country before his sentence could be carried out.

"This removal demonstrates our resolute commitment to identify, arrest and remove those individuals who falsely believe they can escape legal issues in their home country by hiding out in ours," said John Tsoukaris, acting field officer director for ICE ERO in Newark. "We will continue to cooperate with law enforcement authorities around the world to ensure that criminals face the consequences of their illegal actions."

Records show that Zajac entered the United States in June 2003 as a visitor. He remained in the United States without authorization. In September 2010, ICE ERO fugitive operations officers took Zajac into custody at his home in Linden, N.J. He was placed in removal proceedings and on Feb. 16 an immigration judge ordered him removed from the United States. He has remained ICE custody since his arrest.

INTERPOL is the world's largest international police organization with 188 member countries. It serves as a facilitator of international police cooperation.

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