Indictments Against Drug Gang and Kidnappers of US Undercover Agent
Jim Kouri, CPP
October 16, 2006
On Friday, 56 suspects were indicted for drug trafficking and money laundering charges within Puerto Rico, Colombia, St. Martin, Netherlands Antilles, the US Virgin Islands, the British Virgin Islands, and the Dominican Republic.
The arrests are reportedly part of the Immigration & Customs Enforcement/Drug Enforcement's "Operation Watusi" and the Federal Bureau of Investigation's "Operation Green Traketon," both operating under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force.
Among the charges, one of the indictments alleges that an accused leader of one of the organizations, Luis Peņa-Peņa, coordinated the kidnapping of an undercover ICE agent in Medellin, Colombia, on December 13, 2005. The indictment also alleges that a ransom of $2,000,000 was requested for the release of the undercover ICE agent.
During the extensive anti-drug operation, US and foreign law enforcement officers conducted simultaneous arrests in several countries that resulted in the total arrest of 27 individuals. To date, these joint investigations have resulted in the seizure of numerous foreign and domestic bank accounts, $3.1 million in US currency, approximately 1,900 kilos of cocaine, and six vessels.
Two of the eight indictments allege that the defendants, and their coconspirators, coordinated the transportation of multimillion dollar shipments of cocaine from South America to Puerto Rico via motor vessels.
Seven of the eight indictments allege that the defendants and their coconspirators laundered the narcotics proceeds through various financial transactions. The currency is alleged to have been laundered through a complex money laundering scheme known as the Black Market Peso Exchange. The indictments also seek the forfeiture of the proceeds of the crimes.
During the investigation, federal agents were able to infiltrate the money laundering and drug trafficking organizations, identifying the source of the supply of the drugs, the foreign and domestic drug transporters, a distributor, and money launderers.
As a result of these simultaneous arrests in the US and in several foreign countries, federal agents have dismantled several drug trafficking and money laundering organizations.
The narcotics offenses charged in the indictments involve a sentence of a minimum of ten years of imprisonment and a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, and a fine of not more than $4,000,000.00. The penalties for the money laundering offenses alleged in the indictments involve a maximum of 20 years of imprisonment, a fine of not more than $500,000.00 or twice the value of the property involved in the transaction, whichever is greater.
This indictment is the result of a joint investigation conducted by agents from ICE, DEA, and FBI, the Puerto Rico Police Department, Puerto Rico Department of Justice, Puerto Rico Department of Treasury (Hacienda), the San Juan Commissioner of Public Safety, and the US Attorney's Office. The governments of Colombia, the Dominican Republic, the Netherlands, the Netherlands Antilles, and the British Virgin Islands assisted in this investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant US Attorney Timothy R. Henwood.
Note: See the John Cox for President campaign's new TV spots at http://www.cox2008.com/video.
The arrests are reportedly part of the Immigration & Customs Enforcement/Drug Enforcement's "Operation Watusi" and the Federal Bureau of Investigation's "Operation Green Traketon," both operating under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force.
Among the charges, one of the indictments alleges that an accused leader of one of the organizations, Luis Peņa-Peņa, coordinated the kidnapping of an undercover ICE agent in Medellin, Colombia, on December 13, 2005. The indictment also alleges that a ransom of $2,000,000 was requested for the release of the undercover ICE agent.
During the extensive anti-drug operation, US and foreign law enforcement officers conducted simultaneous arrests in several countries that resulted in the total arrest of 27 individuals. To date, these joint investigations have resulted in the seizure of numerous foreign and domestic bank accounts, $3.1 million in US currency, approximately 1,900 kilos of cocaine, and six vessels.
Two of the eight indictments allege that the defendants, and their coconspirators, coordinated the transportation of multimillion dollar shipments of cocaine from South America to Puerto Rico via motor vessels.
Seven of the eight indictments allege that the defendants and their coconspirators laundered the narcotics proceeds through various financial transactions. The currency is alleged to have been laundered through a complex money laundering scheme known as the Black Market Peso Exchange. The indictments also seek the forfeiture of the proceeds of the crimes.
During the investigation, federal agents were able to infiltrate the money laundering and drug trafficking organizations, identifying the source of the supply of the drugs, the foreign and domestic drug transporters, a distributor, and money launderers.
As a result of these simultaneous arrests in the US and in several foreign countries, federal agents have dismantled several drug trafficking and money laundering organizations.
The narcotics offenses charged in the indictments involve a sentence of a minimum of ten years of imprisonment and a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, and a fine of not more than $4,000,000.00. The penalties for the money laundering offenses alleged in the indictments involve a maximum of 20 years of imprisonment, a fine of not more than $500,000.00 or twice the value of the property involved in the transaction, whichever is greater.
This indictment is the result of a joint investigation conducted by agents from ICE, DEA, and FBI, the Puerto Rico Police Department, Puerto Rico Department of Justice, Puerto Rico Department of Treasury (Hacienda), the San Juan Commissioner of Public Safety, and the US Attorney's Office. The governments of Colombia, the Dominican Republic, the Netherlands, the Netherlands Antilles, and the British Virgin Islands assisted in this investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant US Attorney Timothy R. Henwood.
Note: See the John Cox for President campaign's new TV spots at http://www.cox2008.com/video.
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