A notorious Dominican drug smuggler has been dealt a hefty prison sentence after being caught with a massive haul of cocaine in the Caribbean Sea. Joel Vargas Mendez-Bienvivenido, a 35-year-old national of the Dominican Republic, was handed down 87 months in prison for smuggling approximately 443 kilograms of cocaine.
The sentence was handed down by United States District Court Judge Terry F. Moorer on March 14, 2024. Mendez-Bienvivenido had previously pleaded guilty to the drug smuggling offense, which is charged under Title 46, United States Code, Section 70506 (b).
The investigation began on September 13, 2023, when a Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) located a Go-Fast Vessel (GFV) on a northerly path with a speed of 18 knots and two persons on board. The vessel was outfitted with one engine and visible suspected drug packages on the deck of the vessel.
United States Coast Guard Cutter Valiant (USCGC VALIANT) launched its Over the Horizon (OTH) boat with a boarding team (BT). The OTH and BT arrived on scene and gained positive control of the vessel approximately 161 nautical miles South of Isla Beta, Dominican Republic. This location is in international waters.
The boarding team recovered 13 bales of cocaine weighing approximately 443 kilograms. The government of the Dominican Republic denied any claim to nationality of the GFV, and the vessel was thus subsequently treated as one without nationality, giving the United States jurisdiction to investigate and prosecute the case under Title 46. The vessel was deemed a danger to navigation due to no suitable tow points and its distance from land. Consequently, the vessel was sunk upon completion of law enforcement activities.
United States Attorney Sean P. Costello praised the outstanding work of the United States Coast Guard and federal investigators in interdicting and bringing these international drug smugglers to justice. The wholesale value of the cocaine seized in this case is conservatively valued at approximately $13.3 million. The case was investigated by the United States Coast Guard, and the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney George F. May.
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Key Facts
- State: Alabama
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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