The organization, known as the Abdul Karim Conteh Human Smuggling Organization (Karim HSO), is based in Tijuana and is led by Abdul Karim Conteh (Karim), a 42-year-old Sierra Leonean national, according to OFAC.
Karim HSO is responsible for smuggling migrants from various countries including Africa, China, the Middle East, Russia, Central Asia, and others into the U.S. by providing false documents and guidance on illegal entry, the agency stated.
Veronica Roblero Pivaral (Veronica), a 25-year-old Mexican national and Mr. Conteh’s wife, plays a crucial role in the organization by transporting migrants to the U.S. border and receiving payments for smuggling activities.
The sanctions target the financial and property assets of Mr. Conteh and his wife in the U.S., prohibiting any transactions with them by U.S. citizens. Financial institutions engaging in transactions with them may face sanctions, according to OFAC.
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Mr. Conteh has also been charged with unlawfully smuggling migrants for financial gain, with a mandatory minimum of three years in prison for the first two offenses. Additional violations carry a mandatory minimum of five years and a maximum of 15 years in prison, according to the DOJ.
Ms. Pivaral is currently evading law enforcement.
The DOJ and OFAC revealed that the Karim HSO smuggling organization operates regionally and globally, with allegations of moving migrants through Nicaragua.
Migrants reportedly paid significant sums to the organization for smuggling into the U.S., and the organization utilized the U.S. financial system to receive payments for their illegal activities, federal officials disclosed.
OFAC also sanctioned Pasaman Francis Marin Abbe Pidoukou, a Togolese national, and Issa Kamara (Issa), a Sierra Leonean national, both members of the Karim HSO smuggling organization responsible for facilitating migrant transport.
Under Secretary of the Treasury Brian E. Nelson stated that these sanctions disrupt the exploitation of desperate individuals seeking a better life and that the Treasury Department remains dedicated to dismantling groups like Karim HSO involved in illicit activities.
Mr. Conteh’s legal representation status is unknown, and The Epoch Times has reached out to the Justice Department for further comments.
