Joel Vargas Mendez-Bienvivenido, Cocaine Smuggling, Alabama 2024

A Dominican national has been sentenced to 87 months in prison for smuggling 443 kilograms of cocaine in the Caribbean Sea. Joel Vargas Mendez-Bienvivenido, 43, was convicted of one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine under Title 46, United States Code, Section 70506 (b). The sentence was handed down by United States District Court Judge Terry F. Moorer on March 14, 2024.

According to court documents, Mendez-Bienvivenido was involved in a conspiracy to smuggle cocaine on a Go-Fast Vessel (GFV) in the Caribbean Sea on September 13, 2023. The vessel, which was traveling at a speed of 18 knots, was intercepted by a Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) and subsequently boarded by a team from the United States Coast Guard Cutter Valiant. The boarding team recovered 13 bales of cocaine weighing approximately 443 kilograms.

The wholesale value of the cocaine seized in this case is conservatively valued at approximately $13.3 million. 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. Assistant United States Attorney George F. May prosecuted the case.

Under Title 46, United States Code, Section 70501, operating or embarking in a submersible vessel or semi-submersible vessel without nationality and on an international voyage is a serious international problem, facilitates transnational crime, including drug trafficking, and terrorism, and presents a specific threat to the safety of maritime navigation and the security of the United States.

The vessel, which was deemed a danger to navigation, was subsequently sunk upon completion of law enforcement activities. The government of the Dominican Republic denied any claim to nationality of the GFV, giving the United States jurisdiction to investigate and prosecute the case under Title 46.

The sentence handed down by Judge Moorer brings to justice another international drug smuggler and sends a strong message to those involved in this illicit trade. It is a testament to the hard work and dedication of law enforcement agencies in protecting our nation’s waters and preventing the flow of illicit substances.

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