SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – A sweeping federal indictment unsealed today has cracked open a major drug trafficking operation known as “La V,” exposing a network responsible for flooding Puerto Rico and the continental United States with cocaine and illegally funneling firearms to the Dominican Republic. Fourteen members of the organization have been charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, possession and distribution of controlled substances, firearms violations, and money laundering.
The indictment, handed down by a federal grand jury on September 25, 2025, alleges that from 2021 until today, Emilio Lopez-Vargas spearheaded a continuing criminal enterprise. The operation, based in the municipality of Camuy, Puerto Rico, coordinated with sources in the Dominican Republic to import hundreds of kilograms of cocaine for significant profit. This wasn’t just a handful of kilos; we’re talking about a large-scale operation designed to maximize profit at the expense of public safety.
Investigators from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General (USPS-OIG), United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) uncovered a sophisticated smuggling scheme. “La V” utilized boats, some equipped with hidden compartments, to bring multi-kilogram shipments of cocaine from the Dominican Republic directly into Puerto Rico. Once ashore, the drugs were distributed locally and shipped to the mainland U.S. using both a global logistics company and the United States Postal Service – with the alleged help of employees within those organizations.
The operation wasn’t a one-way street. Members of “La V” also transported firearms from Puerto Rico to the Dominican Republic, generating further illicit income. The profits from the drug and weapons trafficking were then laundered back into Puerto Rico. Once the cocaine reached the continental United States, it was cut with adulterants and repackaged to increase profits, with samples provided to end-users to gauge quality. In Puerto Rico, fentanyl and cocaine were stored and packaged at residences for street-level distribution.
While twelve members of the organization are currently in custody, two remain fugitives: Victor Hernandez and Yamil González-Vargas. Authorities are urging anyone with information regarding their whereabouts to contact HSI’s sector San Juan communication center at (787) 729-6969, HSI’s Tip Line at (866) 347-2423, or submit a tip online at https://www.ice.gov/webform/ice-tip-form. “One of our top priorities continues to be the disruption and dismantling of violent drug trafficking organizations, at every level,” stated U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow.
Rebecca González-Ramos, Special Agent in Charge of HSI San Juan, added a stark warning: “We will not allow drug smugglers, money launderers, and weapons traffickers, to threaten the safety of our communities…The message is clear, we will continue to strike at every level these organizations, cutting off their profits, seizing their weapons and ensuring that those responsible face justice.” This case serves as a chilling reminder of the reach and ruthlessness of transnational criminal organizations operating in and around U.S. territories.
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Key Facts
- State: Puerto Rico
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Organized Crime|Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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