According
to the documents filed in
court, Lemus was the
manager of the
transportation and
distribution cell
responsible for
facilitating multi-ton
quantity cocaine loads via
go-fast vessels on the
high seas originating from
Colombia and Ecuador to Costa
Rica and Guatemala.
/ A.M. Costa
Rica wire services photo
|
Guatemalan
man arraigned in the U.S.
Federal Court as suspected
high-level drug trafficker
linked to Costa Rica
By the
A.M. Costa Rica wire services
Announced
by U.S. Attorney's
Office Southern District of
California on Friday, that a
Guatemalan man surnamed Lemus,
age 49, a suspected high-level
cartel boss from Central
America, was arraigned in
federal court on maritime
cocaine trafficking charges.
According
to the documents filed in
court, Lemus was the manager
of the transportation and
distribution cell responsible
for facilitating multi-ton
quantity cocaine loads via
go-fast vessels on the high
seas originating from Colombia
and Ecuador to Costa Rica
and Guatemala.
The United
States alleged that he sold
his cocaine loads to Mexican
drug trafficking organizations
for transportation to the
United States.
The United
States further alleged that
Lemus was involved in a
two-year conspiracy and that
he directed the movement of
large quantities of cocaine in
go-fast vessels across
international waters,
including facilitating
refueling vessels on the high
seas during their journey
north.
Lemus was
indicted by a federal grand
jury on January 18, 2018. He
was charged with conspiracy to
possess with intent to
distribute cocaine on board a
vessel, and international
conspiracy to distribute
cocaine. U.S. Magistrate Judge
Andy Schopler ordered the
defendant detained without
bond. Lemus’ next hearing is
scheduled for July 19, 2019,
before U.S. District
Judge Dana M. Sabraw.
“Federal
law enforcement officials
worked together in three
countries to successfully
disrupt a dangerous drug
trafficking ring that sought
to smuggle thousands of
kilograms of cocaine into
the United States,” said
U.S. Attorney Robert Brewer.
“Through effective
partnerships and outstanding
investigation, we
intercepted significant
loads of this highly
addictive stimulant,
stripped traffickers of drug
profits, and helped to
safeguard our communities.”
“I commend
the government of Guatemala
and all of our foreign and
domestic law enforcement
partners for their hard
work. Their support was
instrumental in our joint
effort to dismantle this
international criminal
organization's ability to
bring dangerous drugs into our
communities and ensure the
perpetrators of such attempts
are brought to justice,” said
David Shaw, special agent in
charge for HSI San Diego.
“These type of aggressive and
coordinated law enforcement
efforts are critical to
removing the threat posed by
criminals flooding American
communities with dangerous
narcotics, and we will
continue to work with our U.S.
and international law
enforcement partners to bring
transnational criminal
organizations to justice.”
“DEA
protects our communities by
hunting down the head of the
snake and bringing them to a
U.S. courtroom to face U.S.
justice,” said DEA Special
Agent in Charge Karen Flowers.
“The apprehension of a
suspected cartel leader
highlights what we do best:
Leverage all tools across U.S.
law enforcement, our foreign
counterparts, and work as one
to take out anyone, anywhere
who profits from the human
misery of addiction.”
“This
significant case demonstrates
what we can accomplish
together with intelligence,
diligence and commitment to
excellence,” said Pete Flores,
director of field operations
for San Diego. “I
commend the CBP task force
officer and our partners at
HSI, DEA, and the U.S.
Attorney’s Office who
collaborated to identify,
investigate, to bring this man
to justice and disrupt this
transnational criminal
organization.”
During the
investigation, federal agents
seized approximately 5,900
kilograms, or 13,000 pounds,
of cocaine.
This case
is the result of ongoing
efforts by the Organized Crime
Drug Enforcement Task Force
(OCDETF), a partnership that
brings together the combined
expertise of federal, state
and local law enforcement. The
principal mission of the
OCDETF program is to identify,
disrupt, dismantle and
prosecute high-level members
of drug trafficking, weapons
trafficking, and money
laundering organizations and
enterprises.
The
summary of charges are:
Count 1 - Conspiracy to Possess
with Intent to Distribute
Cocaine on Board a Vessel.
Maximum penalty: Life in prison,
10-year minimum mandatory; $1
million fine
Count 2 - International
Conspiracy to Distribute
Controlled Substances. Maximum
penalty: Life in prison, 10-year
minimum mandatory; $1million
fine
The agencies investigating this
case are: Homeland Security
Investigations (HSI), Drug
Enforcement Administration
(DEA), Customs and Border
Protection (CBP), U.S. Coast
Guard, HSI Joint Task Force
Investigations (JTF-I), HSI
Attaché Guatemala City,
Guatemala, HSI Attaché
Mexico City Mexico, Joint
Interagency Task Force-South
(JIATF-S).
The charges and allegations
contained in an indictment or
complaint are merely
accusations, and the defendants
are considered innocent unless
and until proven guilty.
For more information on this
case visit U.S.
Attorney's Office Southern
District of California link*
--------------------------------
What can authorities do to keep
Costa Rica territory from being
used as a bridge for the
transfer of drugs? We would like
to know your thoughts on this
story. Send your comments
to: news@amcostarica.com
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