Tampa, FL – International Cocaine Smuggling Ring Busted
Four foreign nationals have been charged with conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, a crime punishable by a maximum penalty of life in federal prison and a $10 million fine for each count.
The indictment stems from a July 9, 2018, interdiction of a drug smuggling vessel in international waters by the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Cutter ALERT. As part of the interdiction, the USCG seized approximately 1,200 kilograms of cocaine.
Jorge Lucas Murillo (28, Ecuador), Carlos Patron Marchan (20, Ecuador), Weimar Valencia Campaz (28, Colombia), and Abraham Lopez Mendoza (47, Mexico) have been formally charged with their involvement in the international cocaine smuggling conspiracy.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.
The Panama Express Strike Force, an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), investigated the case. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s drug supply.
The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas G. DeRenzo.
Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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