Axel Bladimir Montejo Saenz, International Cocaine Trafficking, California 2018

A high-stakes international cocaine trafficking ring has been dealt a significant blow with the indictment of Guatemalan national Axel Bladimir Montejo Saenz, also known as ‘Mosh,’ ‘Kraken,’ ‘Gladiator,’ ‘Baraja,’ ‘Solin,’ ‘Ron Zacapa,’ ‘Captain Morgan,’ and ‘Corralejo.’

The indictment, unsealed in San Diego, charges Montejo Saenz with Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine Intended for Unlawful Importation and Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine on Board a Vessel. The conspiracy allegedly continued up to and including November 2018 and involved the distribution of cocaine in the countries of Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Mexico, and elsewhere.

‘Today marks another important step in disrupting the corridor of illicit drug trafficking from Central America into the United States,’ said U.S. Attorney Randy S. Grossman. ‘This complex, multi-agency investigation demonstrates the breadth of the Department’s mission to stop the flow of narcotics well before they reach our shores.’

Montejo Saenz, 35, of Huehuetenango, Guatemala, remains a fugitive. His exact whereabouts are unknown. The indictment alleges that the conspiracy involved the distribution of cocaine and that Montejo Saenz was a key player in the operation.

‘This high-level indictment highlights the success of HSI’s collaborative efforts with the government of Guatemala and all of our foreign and domestic law enforcement partners,’ said Chad Plantz, Special Agent in Charge for HSI San Diego. ‘HSI is committed to bringing international drug trafficking cartel members to justice and to dismantling these criminal organizations.’

The case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation, which aims to disrupt and dismantle the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States.

Montejo Saenz faces a maximum penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine. An indictment is not evidence of guilt, and the public is reminded that the defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

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