Brazilian National Arrested in Massachusetts for Alleged Role in Transnational Human Smuggling Network
Flavio Alexandre Alves, previously convicted of human smuggling, faces charges for coordinating the illicit transport of migrants from Brazil to the U.S. as part of an international criminal operation.
- Flavio Alexandre Alves, 41, was arrested in Worcester, Massachusetts, on March 26, 2025, for his alleged involvement in a transnational human smuggling organization.
- Alves, previously deported to Brazil in 2005 after a human smuggling conviction, is accused of illegally re-entering the U.S. and resuming smuggling activities in 2021.
- Authorities allege that Alves facilitated the smuggling of hundreds of migrants by purchasing over 100 airline tickets and transferring significant funds to co-conspirators in Mexico.
- The investigation, part of Joint Task Force Alpha and the Extraterritorial Criminal Travel Strike Force, also led to the detention of four other individuals on immigration violations.
- Alves faces up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine if convicted, with a detention hearing scheduled for March 28, 2025.
U.S. Department of Justice 
UPI 
Boston Globe 
