62 Gang Bangers Busted for $72M Drug Empire in Arecibo

A brutal gang war raged in the streets of Arecibo, Puerto Rico, as 62 members of a notorious gang faced federal charges for their alleged roles in a $72 million drug trafficking operation. The indictment, unsealed on April 24, 2024, accused the defendants of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, possession and distribution of controlled substances, and firearms violations.

The operation, led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Puerto Rico Police Bureau (PRPB), Arecibo Strike Force, and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), was the result of a years-long investigation into the gang’s activities in the Ramón Marín Solá Public Housing Project, the Trina Padilla de Sanz Public Housing Project, the Manuel Zeno Gandía Public Housing Project, the Bella Vista Public Housing Project, and La Meseta Public Housing Project.

The indictment alleged that from 2014 through the present, the defendants worked as part of a drug trafficking organization (“DTO”) that distributed illegal drugs, including cocaine base, heroin, cocaine, marijuana, Oxycodone, Alprazolam, Clonazepam, and Tramadol, within 1,000 feet of the public housing facilities.

Attorney General Merrick B. Garland praised the work of the DEA, ATF, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, and local partners, saying, “The residents of public housing projects deserve better than to be terrorized by violent drug trafficking gangs.” U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow added, “The arrests in this case underscore the resolve of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and its law enforcement partners to uphold the rule of law and bring to justice violent criminals who threaten our communities.”

The indictment charged the defendants with various crimes, including conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, possession and distribution of controlled substances, and firearms violations. The defendants, whose ages and cities were not specified, face significant prison time and fines if convicted.

Law enforcement officials credited the collaboration between federal and local agencies with dismantling the gang’s operations and making Arecibo and Puerto Rico a safer place. ATF Director Steven Dettelbach said, “ATF’s number one priority is getting the worst criminals – the trigger pullers and drug dealers – off the streets.”

DEA Special Agent in Charge Denise Foster added, “Through the relentless collaboration, between the DEA, ATF, state and federal partners have dealt significant blows to the violent drug trafficking organizations operating within the El Cotto public housing project.”

As the investigation continues, residents of Arecibo and Puerto Rico can take comfort in knowing that law enforcement is committed to protecting their communities from the scourge of gang violence and drug trafficking.”