San Diego, California – Victor Manuel Felix-Felix, the alleged leader of a Mexican money laundering and cocaine trafficking organization, was extradited to the United States by Mexico yesterday and made his first appearance in federal court this afternoon.
According to extradition documents, in 2009, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents began investigating a money laundering organization based in Southern California. One agent, acting in an undercover capacity, flew to Panama City, Panama and posed as the leader of a transportation cell capable of moving narcotics and bulk currency using private aircraft.
After several additional undercover meetings, the agent gained the trust of the organization and agreed to begin picking up bulk currency for transfer to Mexico. Over the course of 2010 and 2011, the agent arranged for the transfer of millions of dollars in currency, coordinating with local law enforcement to arrange pick-ups in Los Angeles, California; New York, New York; Houston, Texas; Chicago, Illinois; Vancouver, Canada and Montreal, Canada.
After the successful currency pick-ups, the undercover agent began traveling to Central America to meet with higher-level members of Felix-Felix’s organization. In September 2010, at a meeting in the Dominican Republic, the undercover agent offered that he could transport cocaine from Ecuador to Mexico City, extradition documents said. Felix-Felix agreed, and provided the agent with an encrypted phone and a cash down-payment of $3.5 million for his services.
A team of DEA agents then traveled to Ecuador and worked with local law enforcement to set up a roadside checkpoint and seize a truck containing 2,500 kilograms of cocaine intended for Felix-Felix.
Defendant: Victor Manuel Felix-Felix
Criminal Charges: Engaging in a Continuing Criminal Enterprise, Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine and Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering
City and State: San Diego, California
Exact Date: December 18, 2017 (extradition date)
Sentence or Outcome: Scheduled to be arraigned on December 19, 2017
Dollar Amounts: $3.5 million (cash down-payment) and $1 million (upfront payment)
Key Facts
- State: California
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Organized Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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