WASHINGTON – U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) announces two rewards for information on Pakistani national and human smuggler Abid Ali Khan (Khan). A reward of up to $1 million is offered for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of Khan and a second $1 million reward is offered for information leading to the financial disruption of Khan’s human smuggling network.
Khan allegedly operates a Pakistani-based smuggling network to facilitate the travel of undocumented individuals into the United States from the Middle East and southwest Asia in exchange for payment. In addition to the planning or operations of the illegal and dangerous travel, Khan also provides false documentation to foreign nationals to use for cross-border travel.
Smuggling organizations are both a national security threat and a public safety risk. They take advantage of vulnerable populations and jeopardize their lives through violence, abuse, hostage-taking, or extortion. Human smuggling is a gateway crime for additional criminal offenses, including illegal immigration, identity theft, document and benefit fraud, gang activity, financial fraud, and terrorism. To mitigate this threat, HSI strives to identify, disrupt, and dismantle transnational criminal human smuggling networks operating around the globe.
“Abid Ali Khan is alleged to be a prolific human smuggler who commands a criminal organization that spans the globe. Khan is a very dangerous individual whose activities and associations may pose a national security risk to the United States and our partner nations,” said Anthony Salisbury Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations, Miami. “Khan is willing to smuggle individuals by any means necessary which can ultimately place vulnerable migrants in harm’s way. Through our strong domestic and international partnerships, I know we will be able to arrest this individual and stop his illicit activities that facilitate the movement of nefarious actors around the world.”
On April 7, 2021, the Department of Justice unsealed a federal indictment against Khan filed in the Eastern District of Virginia. The indictment charges Khan with Conspiracy to Encourage and Induce an Alien to Unlawfully Enter the United States, Encouraging and Inducing an Alien to Unlawfully Enter the United States, and Bringing an Alien to the United States. On the same date, the Department of the Treasury levied sanctions against Khan pursuant to Executive Order 13581 “Blocking Property of Transnational Criminal Organizations,” stemming from the same criminal conduct.
This reward is offered under the Department of State’s (DOS) Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program (TOCRP). More than 75 transnational criminals and major narcotics traffickers have been brought to justice under the TOCRP and the Narcotics Rewards Program (NRP) since 1986. DOS has paid more than $135 million in rewards to date.
