A Dominican national has been sentenced to 87 months in prison for smuggling 443 kilograms of cocaine in the Caribbean Sea.
On March 14, 2024, United States District Court Judge Terry F. Moorer handed down the sentence to Joel Vargas Mendez-Bienvivenido, who had previously pleaded guilty to the drug smuggling offense.
The crime was committed on September 13, 2023, when a Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) located a Go-Fast Vessel (GFV) with two persons on board and visible suspected drug packages on the deck in international waters.
The United States Coast Guard Cutter Valiant (USCGC VALIANT) launched its Over the Horizon (OTH) boat with a boarding team (BT), which arrived on scene and gained positive control of the vessel approximately 161 nautical miles South of Isla Beta, Dominican Republic.
The BT recovered 13 bales of cocaine weighing approximately 443 kilograms, which is conservatively valued at around 13.3 million dollars.
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 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.
According to Title 46 United States Code, § 70501, trafficking in controlled substances aboard vessels is a serious international problem that presents a specific threat to the security and societal well-being of the United States.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Alabama commended the efforts of the US Coast Guard and federal investigators in this case, which resulted in the seizure of a significant quantity of cocaine and the prosecution of a major international crime.
RELATED: Colombian Smuggler Jaramillo Sentenced to 15 Years for Cocaine Run
Related Federal Cases
- Badge Betrayal: Wilcox Deputy Sentenced in Cocaine Scheme · Alabama
- Alabama Border Busted: 60-Month Sentence for Cocaine Courier Telesforo Lozano · Texas
- Miller Gets 120-Month Sentence for Fed Cocaine Conspiracy · Alabama
- Army Families Ripped Off: $31M Kickback · Mississippi
- Tax Cheat Gets 18 Months for $1.2M Scam · Alabama
Key Facts
- State: Alabama
- 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 ↗
🔒 Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
Browse More
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
US NewsUS NewsUS NewsUS News