Extensive collaboration between U.S. and Brazilian law enforcement led to a successful operation against a criminal organization involved in smuggling individuals from Brazil to the United States. On March 26, the operation resulted in the arrest of a previously convicted smuggler residing unlawfully in Worcester, Massachusetts, after re-entering the U.S. illegally. The Brazilian Federal Police conducted multiple search warrants and apprehended a suspected smuggler based in Brazil.
Flavio Alexandre Alves, also known as "Ronaldo," was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Worcester. Alves faces charges of conspiring to bring and transport aliens within the United States for financial gain. After his arrest, he appeared in federal court in Worcester. Court documents allege that Alves helped transport individuals from Brazil through Mexico into the U.S., purchased airline tickets for them, transferred funds for expenses, and collected fees for smuggling.
It is alleged that between May 2021 and August 2022, Alves bought over 100 airline tickets for migrants traveling from Tucson or Phoenix to certain destinations, such as Boston and Philadelphia. The purchases included tickets for some migrants recently detained by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
In addition, four associates of the alien smuggling organization were detained on immigration violations by ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) offices, with support from partner agencies. The investigation of Alves was coordinated by Joint Task Force Alpha and the Extraterritorial Criminal Travel Strike Force, focusing on dismantling human smuggling networks affecting U.S. border security.
The investigation was conducted by ICE HSI in collaboration with the Brazilian authorities and various U.S. agencies, with crucial assistance from the Department of Justice's Office of International Affairs. The operation is a part of ongoing efforts against transnational smuggling, with more than 355 arrests made so far under Joint Task Force Alpha.
A criminal complaint is an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
