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SAO PAULO — Brazilian federal police said they have arrested Saifullah Al-Mamun, born in Bangladesh and considered by authorities one of the world’s most prolific human traffickers.

In an operation conducted on Thursday after collaboration with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Brazilian police arrested members of a group allegedly implicated in a large scheme of smuggling people into the United States.

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Several arrests were made in Sao Paulo, where Al-Mamun was living, and in three other Brazilian cities. The police also froze 42 bank accounts it says were used by the group to finance their activities.

Al-Mamun entered Brazil six years ago as a refugee, and was living in Bras, a diverse neighborhood in Sao Paulo that is home to immigrants from around the world.

He has been indicted on U.S. charges. According to the United States Department of Justice, Al-Mamun is alleged to have housed people coming from Southeast Asia in São Paulo and arranged for their travel through a network of smugglers operating in Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala and Mexico.