KOP Man Smuggled Undocumented Immigrants Into Country For Money: U.S. Attorney

A King of Prussia man has been charged alongside two Turkish nationals for accepting tens of thousands of dollars to smuggle undocumented Turkish immigrants into the country, according to the U.S. Attorney in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

Izzet Kurt, 53, of King of Prussia, has been charged with conspiracy to smuggle and smuggling of undocumented immigrants for private financial gain, Acting U.S. Attorney Louis D. Lappen said.

Kurt was arrested alongside Ozcan Kose, 34, and Oguz Kose, 35, both of Rize, Turkey, who operated commercial cargo vessels that ran between the United States and Turkey, authorities said.

The trio solicited Turkish nationals in Turkey to pay $20,000 to $25,000 to be smuggled into America, according to the indictment.

They hid immigrants in their ships, often hiding them in locked crew quarters when customs officials inspected the ship, and then used their knowledge of the ports to help them escape into society, the indictment states.

Kurt faces up to 15 years in prison for his role in the operation. Ozcan Kose faces 65 years in jail and Oguz Kose faces 45 years in jail.

Patch file photo