ST. THOMAS, VIRGIN ISLANDS – In a brazen display of international coastal smuggling, three men have pleaded guilty to trafficking 383 kilograms of cocaine on a vessel in international waters.
Eleuterio Gomez Murillo, 53, of Colombia, and Randall Vasquez, 47, and Mainor Salazar Montero, 34, both of Costa Rica, took a plea deal before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ruth Miller for possession with intent to distribute cocaine onboard a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States.
According to court documents, on November 26, 2020, the United States Coast Guard intercepted a vessel in international waters approximately 115 nautical miles from Isla Malpelo, Colombia. On board the vessel were the three defendants, multiple cannisters of fuel, and 383 kilograms of cocaine.
The Coast Guard and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) investigated the crime and Assistant United States Attorney Everard E. Potter prosecuted the case, securing a plea deal for the defendants.
The plea comes as a major blow to international coastal smuggling operations, and the defendants now face a sentence of up to 20 years of imprisonment for their convictions.
As the U.S. Attorney’s Office continues to crack down on international smuggling operations, the people of the Virgin Islands are left to wonder – how much more of this can we take? The plea deal sends a strong message that such crimes will be met with swift justice, but the question remains: what other operations are brewing in the shadows?
The investigation and prosecution of this case have served as a stark reminder of the ongoing threat of international coastal smuggling and the importance of continued vigilance in the fight against this scourge.
The Grimy Times will continue to follow this story and provide updates as more information becomes available.
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Key Facts
- State: Virgin Islands
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime|Sex Crimes|Cybercrime|Public Corruption|Weapons|Human Trafficking|White Collar Crime|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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