Moroccan Stowaway Indicted

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – EL MAHDI KOUTABI ("KOUTABI"), age 34, a citizen of Morocco, was indicted on October 2, 2026, for being a stowaway on a vessel, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2199, announced United States Attorney David I. Courcelle. 

According to the indictment, on September 27, 2026, KOUTABI entered the jurisdiction of the United States aboard a vessel after boarding, entering, and secreting himself without consent of the owner, charterer, master, or person in command of the vessel, with the intent of obtaining transportation from Morocco.

KOUTABI faces up to five years of imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, up to three years of supervised release and the payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. 

U.S. Attorney Courcelle reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the U.S. Customs & Border Protection Officers in investigating this case. Assistant United States Attorney Christine M. Calogero of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.