Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Board has ordered the deportation of Amin Yousefi-Jam, an Iranian national living in Toronto and a former Tehran police officer, over his involvement in an international network that circumvented sanctions on Iran. The network transferred electronic equipment, engines and components with both civilian and military applications from the United States to Iran.

According to Global News, the ruling was issued in July, but the 36-page decision was released on Tuesday. Christopher Marcinkiewicz, a member of Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Board, said Yousefi-Jam played an “important and vital” role in organising the transfer of sanctioned shipments, adding that the equipment would not have reached Iran without his assistance.

Yousefi-Jam, previously known as Amin Rigi, entered Canada in 2016. He was arrested in Toronto in 2021 and extradited to the US state of Michigan to stand trial. After pleading guilty, he was returned to Canada and changed his name to Amin Cohen. The Immigration and Refugee Board said he deliberately concealed his US criminal conviction and provided false information when applying to change his name.

According to the ruling, Yousefi-Jam worked with his brother, Arash, using the UAE as a transit route for sanctioned goods. Canadian authorities said he knowingly and voluntarily participated in the activities.

However, the board did not find that Yousefi-Jam continued to pose a threat to Canada’s national security and instead ordered his deportation on the grounds of membership in a criminal organisation. Yousefi-Jam confirmed to Global News that he remains in Canada and that his case is still open.

The case comes as the Canadian government intensifies efforts to deport officials of the Islamic Republic of Iran. As of October 1, the Canada Border Services Agency had identified 40 senior Iranian government officials in the country. So far, 2 have been deported, 8 have left voluntarily, and several other cases remain under review.