Dual Kazakhstani-Tajikistani Citizen Extradited from Egypt for Role in Alien Smuggling Conspiracy

Abdulhafiz Bahovatdiny, 36, a dual Kazakhstani-Tajikistani citizen made his initial appearance in court in Phoenix, Arizona, today after being extradited from Egypt to face charges for his role in a human smuggling conspiracy.

"This defendant's alleged involvement in an international human smuggling conspiracy that brought aliens from Russia and Central Asia to the United States threatened the security of our nation," said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department's Criminal Division. "These aliens were not vetted by anyone, undermining our nation's immigration laws and creating serious risks. We will reach across the world to hold human smugglers accountable."

"Human smuggling organizations exploit international travel networks to profit from illegal entry into the United States and threaten the security of our border," said Special Agent in Charge Jason T. Stevens of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Arizona. "This extradition demonstrates that HSI and our law enforcement partners will pursue those who facilitate these crimes wherever they operate. We remain committed to identifying, investigating and holding accountable those who profit from smuggling aliens into our country."

"Customs and Border Protection's (CBP) commitment to national security and border integrity is best exemplified by holding human smugglers and traffickers accountable and working with our domestic and foreign law enforcement partners to bring these malicious actors to justice," said Executive Director Stephen T. Maloney of CBP's National Targeting Center.

In December 2025, a federal grand jury in the District of Arizona returned an indictment, which was unsealed today, against Bahovatdiny for conspiracy to bring illegal aliens to the United States, and multiple counts of bringing in illegal aliens for private financial gain.

According to court documents, beginning in or around January 2022 and continuing to in or around February 2025, Bahovatdiny was part of an alien smuggling organization (ASO) that brought aliens from Russia and Central Asia into the United States illegally across the U.S-Mexico border. The aliens were nationals of Russia, Tajikistan, and other Central Asian countries. Bahovatdiny and others made flight arrangements for the aliens to travel from their home countries directly to Mexico, or to a country in South America. At times, the ASO also arranged accommodations, including directing aliens to specific hotels, as the aliens traveled toward the U.S.-Mexico border, and shipped aliens' belongings into the United States ahead of their illegal crossings. Once in South America or Mexico, Bahovatdiny, together with others, accompanied, arranged, and directed the aliens to travel to Mexicali, Mexico, where a member of the ASO would meet them. From Mexicali, a member of the ASO drove the aliens to the U.S.-Mexico border and told them where to cross the border illegally into Arizona.

Bahovatdiny is charged with one count of conspiracy to bring aliens illegally to the United States and nine counts of bringing aliens to the United States for financial gain. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison.

Bahovatdiny was arrested earlier this year in Egypt as the result of an INTERPOL Red Notice.

HSI Yuma and U.S Border Patrol are investigating the case and received substantial assistance from HSI's Human Smuggling Unit in Washington and U.S. Customs and Border Protection's National Targeting Center International Interdiction Task Force. The Justice Department's Office of International Affairs, INTERPOL, and Egyptian authorities provided substantial assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of the defendant.

Trial Attorney Benjamin Smith of the Criminal Division's Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christina Vejar for the District of Arizona are prosecuting the case.