ICE delivers wanted foreign fugitive to Uzbekistan
Human Trafficker from Uzbekistan Escorted by ICE back to Home Country
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement reports:
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Miami, in coordination with the ERO Removal Division and the U.S. Embassy Post Tashkent, successfully removed a noncitizen to his home country of Uzbekistan, Aug. 9.
Sharif Djabbarov is suspected of large-scale theft by the Uzbekistani authorities and human trafficking in the Dominican Republic.
“ERO Miami remains committed to focusing our efforts to identify and remove criminal noncitizens,” said Garrett Ripa, acting field operations director of ERO Miami. “We are also invested in supporting our international law enforcement partners.”
In mid May 2021, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers in Luiz Munoz Marin International Airport, San Juan, Puerto Rico, encountered and questioned Djabbarov while attempting to enter a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) security checkpoint before boarding a domestic flight to Newark, New Jersey. After the interview, CBP officers in San Juan served Djabbarov an Expedited Removal Order as an immigrant without an immigrant visa in violation of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).
In June 2021, the Judicial District of Altagracia, Dominican Republic, issued an arrest warrant on Djabbarov for human trafficking; however, did not issue a provisional arrest warrant for extradition. In December 2021, an immigration judge ordered him removed from the U.S. to Uzbekistan. His case has had full Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) review.
Djabbarov was escorted by ERO Miami officers from Jacksonville, Florida, via New York, to Uzbekistan on commercial flights.
“This is a great example of how domestic and foreign enforcement partners work together to identify and arrest fugitives,” said ERO Assistant Attaché for removal Todd McWhorter.
Upon arrival in Uzbekistan, Djabbarov was successfully transferred into the custody of Uzbekistani Interpol officers to face the charge of large-scale theft, which resulted in the National Central Bureau of Interpol in Uzbekistan publicly highlighting the hard work and cooperation of ICE.
Members of the public who have information about foreign fugitives are urged to contact ICE by calling the ICE Tip Line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or internationally at 001-1802-872-6199. They can also file a tip online by completing ICE’s online tip form.
SOURCE: ICE.gov
