Inside ICE: Volume 2, Issue 25

Jordanian Man Pleads Guilty To Middle East Smuggling Conspiracy

A Jordanian man has pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to smuggle scores of illegal aliens from Iraq and Jordan into the United States after a three-year undercover ICE investigation.

Thaer Omran Ismail Asaifi, also known as Abu Harp, 35, admitted on December 13 to participating in a conspiracy that was headed by his wife —naturalized American citizen Neeran Hakim Zaia, of Sterling Heights, Mich. From early 2001 through September 2004, their operation illegally smuggled scores of Iraqi and Jordanian nationals into the United States through Ecuador and Peru for profit.

“This guilty plea represents an important milestone in this three-year ICE undercover investigation known as Operation Tortuga,” said Assistant Secretary John Clark. “ICE owes a special debt of gratitude to the Peruvian authorities, who provided critical assistance in combating this criminal syndicate.”

The charges arise from an extraterritorial undercover investigation that was initiated and led by the Washington Field Office of ICE. Substantial assistance, including personnel and resources, was provided by ICE’s Detroit Office, the ICE Attache Office in Peru, the Peruvian National Police and Peruvian Immigration authorities. The State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service also assisted with the investigation.

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