45 international fugitives have been arrested as part of a joint operation between the US Marshal Service and US Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The nationwide operation, referred to as Project Red II, took place between June 21-23, the name coming from the fact that all 45 were the subject of red notices from Interpol.
Red notices offer information to help identity fugitives who have been convicted of or charged with serious crimes but have fled prosecution. Of the 45 individuals arrested, who came from 22 different countries, the crimes of which they were accused included: homicide, human trafficking, drug trafficking, extortion, kidnapping, rape, illegal gang activity and embezzlement.
Tom Homan, the executive associate director of ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations, says that the identification and arrest of foreign fugitives is a priority for global law enforcement and commands the complete commitment of their department’s resources, adding that it is their duty to see such people removed from US communities and have them sent back to face justice in their home countries for the crimes they have committed.
Project Red II was a joint operation between Interpol and ICE, the Diplomatic Security Service division of the US Department of State, US Customs and Border Protection, the US Marshals Service and US Citizenship and Immigration Services. There has been significant growth in the strategic partnership between ICE and Interpol in recent years, with a similar set of coordinated actions aimed at red notice fugitives taking place in July last year.