Drug Kingpin Alvaro López Tardón Sentenced to 150 Years for Narcotics & Money Laundering

MIAMI – International drug kingpin Alvaro López Tardón, 39, of Miami Beach and Madrid, Spain, was sentenced to 150 years in prison for leading a massive narcotics trafficking and money laundering syndicate that spanned three continents.

Tardón was convicted on one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering and 13 substantive counts of money laundering, resulting from the distribution of over 7,500 kilograms of cocaine and the laundering of over $14 million in proceeds.

The sentencing, handed down by U.S. District Judge Joan A. Lenard, also includes a $14 million forfeiture money judgment and a $2 million fine. Tardón was ordered to forfeit significant assets, including luxury real estate, cars, and bank accounts.

According to the prosecution, Tardón’s organization smuggled drugs into Miami through Miami International Airport, transferred proceeds internationally via MoneyGram and Western Union, and used his exotic car dealership in Madrid as a front for money laundering activities. The seized assets included high-end real estate in Miami Beach and Coconut Grove, exotic cars such as Bugatti Veyron and Ferrari Enzo, and three bank accounts.

The investigation was conducted by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a partnership between federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. U.S. Attorney Wifredo A. Ferrer emphasized that today’s sentence dismantles Tardón’s criminal organization and ensures he spends the rest of his life in prison.

George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Miami Field Office, hailed the joint effort with the Spanish National Police as a significant victory against drug trafficking and money laundering networks.