Arrinson De La Cruz, Cocaine Importation, Connecticut 2016

A Dominican national has pleaded guilty to drug charges related to the large-scale importation of cocaine into the U.S. Arrinson De La Cruz, 39, a citizen of the Dominican Republic, admitted to conspiring with others to transport approximately 1600 kilograms of cocaine from South America to the U.S.

According to court documents and statements made in court, De La Cruz conspired with others to transport the cocaine through a private jet, which was registered in the U.S. The jet flew from the Dominican Republic to Venezuela, where the cocaine was to be loaded onto the jet. From there, the jet was to fly to Honduras, where the cocaine would be loaded onto trucks for transport through Mexico into the U.S.

De La Cruz had worked at an airport in the Dominican Republic and helped to coordinate the travel of the jet through the airport uninterrupted. A fake flight plan filed with Dominican authorities reported that the plane was traveling to Brazil. Ultimately, the plane crash-landed in Venezuela, the crew evaded capture by Venezuelan authorities, and the cocaine was diverted back to Colombia.

De La Cruz attempted to coordinate additional shipments of drugs into the U.S. and also contacted others in and around Connecticut to sell heroin, cocaine, and 2C-B, a synthetic psychedelic drug. On September 18, 2016, De La Cruz was arrested in Milford, Connecticut, after a search of a car he was traveling in revealed 2C-B that De La Cruz intended to distribute in Massachusetts.

De La Cruz pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, on board an aircraft registered in the U.S., five kilograms or more of cocaine, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of life imprisonment. He also pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute 2C-B, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, and one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years.

De La Cruz has been detained since his arrest on December 20, 2017. Judge Janet C. Hall scheduled sentencing for June 25, 2019. This investigation is being conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration New Haven Task Force and the Wolcott Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rahul Kale.