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News
Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 25, 2002
OPERATION
"LOS GREENES"
The following properties were seized in this
operation. Their estimated values are listed beneath each photograph.
$125,000
$70,000
$60,000
$105,000
$70,000
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SAN JUAN, Puerto
Rico - Guillermo Gil, U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico and
Rogelio Guevara, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration
(DEA), Caribbean Field Division, announced today the arrest of 28 members
of a crack-cocaine, and cocaine distribution organization based in Aibonito,
Puerto Rico. The investigation, initiated by the DEA's High Intensity
Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Ponce Resident Office on May of 2000, revealed
that this family run drug enterprise was involved in the distribution
of multiple kilo quantities of cocaine and crack-cocaine, with a street
value of millions of dollars, throughout several cities in Puerto Rico.
This drug trafficking organization, whose leading members belong to the
same family known in their neighborhood as "Los Greenes", extended
their drug trafficking activities to several cities in the Continental
United States.
This morning, a contingent
of over 150 federal and local law enforcement agents simultaneously executed
28 arrest warrants in the Puerto Rican cities of Aibonito, Bayamon, Rio
Piedras. Arrests also took place in Chicago, Illinois and Trenton, New
Jersey. Twenty-six (26) of the arrest warrants were issued on February
20, 2002, pursuant to a Federal Grand Jury indictment charging 26 members
of the organization with distribution and conspiracy to distribute cocaine
and crack-cocaine in violation to Title 21 United States Code, Section:
841(a)(1) and 846 (Federal Controlled Substances Act) between October
of 1990 and December of 2001. The indictment alleges that "Los Greenes"
organization distributed cocaine and crack-cocaine from several locations
in Aibonito, PR, to include the "Rey del Sandwich" restaurant
and "Restauran 2000" restaurant. "Los Greenes" organization
drug trafficking activities also extended to several locations in Cayey,
PR and Bayamon, PR. Also, two (2) additional arrest warrant were issued
against two (2) associates of "Los Greenes" organization pursuant
to a separate Federal Grand Jury indictment charging these individuals
with violations to Title 21 U.S. Code: Section 841(a)(1) and 846 (Federal
Controlled Substances Act). In addition, the U.S. Marshal Service seized
several real estate properties with an estimated value of over half a
million dollars. These seizures are part of forfeiture allegations pursuant
Title 21 U.S. Code, Section 853 and Title 18 U.S. Code, Section 982 targeting
approximately $1.5 million dollars in assets which represent drug proceeds
from "Los Greenes" organization's drug trafficking activities.
The DEA's HIDTA Ponce
Resident Office includes Agents from the DEA, the Puerto Rico Police Department,
the Puerto Rico Special Investigations Bureau (NIE), the Puerto
Rico Treasury Department (Hacienda), the Coast Guard Investigative
Service, and the U.S. Immigration & Naturalization Service. The U.S.
Marshal Service provided tactical and asset seizure support and the Puerto
Rico National Guard Counterdrug Support Task Force provided logistical
and air support to the operation. The U.S. Department of Defense provided
analytical support throughout the investigation.
The individuals arrested
today are:
1. Orlando Ortiz-Cintron,
a.k.a. "Lando" - URB. Bella Vista, B-1 Calle Rosa, Aibontio,
P.R.
2. Ivelisse Figueroa-Chicon
- URB. Bella Vista, B-1 Calle Rosa, Aibonito, P.R.
3. Luis A. Ortiz-Cintron,
a.k.a. "Tony Green"- URB. Bella Vista, A-8 Calle Rosa, Aibonito,
P.R.
4. Mariely Gonzalez-Rivera
- URB. Bella Vista, A-8 Calle Rosa, Aibontio, P.R.
5. Francisco Ortiz-Cintron,
a.k.a "Papo Green"- BDA San Luis, 5 Calle Cafernaum, Aibonito,
P.R.
6. Carmen Cruz-Aviles,
a.k.a. "Nicky"- BDA San Luis, 15 Calle Cafernaum, Aibonito,
P.R.
7. Hilda N. Cintron-Ramos,
a.k.a. "Maititi"- BDA San Luis, 5 Calle Cafernaum, Aibonito,
P.R.
8. Francisco Ortiz-Zayas,
a.k.a. "Green"- BDA San Luis, 15 Calle Cafernaum, Aibonito,
P.R.
9. Hilda M. Martinez-Ortiz,
a.k.a. "Millie"- Bo. Caonillas HC-01, P.O. Box 3676, Aibonito,
P.R.
10. Jose A. Feliciano-Rodriguez,
a.k.a. "Anibal"- BDA San Luis, Calle Domingo Colon #227, Aibonito,
P.R.
11. Felipe Gutierrez-López
- BDA San Luis, Calle Domingo Colon #189, Aibonito, P.R.
12. Jose G. Ortiz-Padilla,
a.k.a. "Gato"- BDA San Luis, Parcela #553, Aibonito, P.R.
13. Jesus M. Noguera-Bonilla,
a.k.a. "Nogue"- BDA San Luis, Calle Cana No. 17, Aibonito, P.R.
14. Melvin Rivera-Ortiz
- Calle Julio Ayber, Cond. Meliyan Apt. 905, Santiago Iglesias, Rio Piederas,
P.R.
15. William Santiago-Luna,
a.k.a. "Negro"- Ext. San Luis, Calle Listra, Parcelas #586,
Aibonito, P.R.
16. Maria Rivera-Morales,
a.k.a. "Doris"- Ext. San Luis, Calle Listra, Parcelas #586,
Aibonito, P.R.
17. Eddie Rosario-Colon,
a.k.a. "Chato"- Ext. San Luis, Calle Chipres, Aibonito, P.R.
18. Raul Rivera-Peñalbert,
a.k.a. "Machaco"- Bo. Llanos, Sector Machuca, Aibonito, P.R.
19. Adalberto Ortiz-Rodriguez,
a.k.a. "Adal"- Road 725 Bo. Llanos, Aibonito, P.R.
20. Javier Aviles-Colon,
a.k.a. "Javi"- URB. Brisas del Caribe C-13, Aibonito, P.R.
21. Janisse Gonzalez-Vazquez
- Road 725 km. 2, Bo. Llanos Sector Lomas del Viento, Aibonito, P.R.
22. Hector L. Rivera-Rivera,
a.k.a. "Chavo"- 35 Philip, Ave. Trenton, New Jersey
23. Juan A. Alicea-Esparra,
a.k.a. "Geño"- Bo. Robles, Road 14 Sector la Base, Aibonito,
P.R.
24. Jose L. Rodriguez-Arzola,
a.k.a. "Gallero"- Bo. Maton Abajo, Carr. 14 R/730 km. 1.8 Cayey,
P.R.
25. Jose A. Diaz-Guzman,
a.k.a. "Anibal"- Santa Elena Apt. #511, Bayamon, PR.
26. Alfredo Cintron-Ramos,
a.k.a. "Tio Jim"- 1534 North Milwaukee Ave, Apt. #2, Chicago,
IL
27. Francisco J.
Ortiz-Cruz, a.k.a. "Joel"- Road 14 BDA San Luis, Aibonito, P.R.
28. Carlos G. Ortiz-Cintron,
a.k.a. "Carlitos Green"- 15 Calle Cafernaum BDA. San Luis, Aibonito,
P.R.
The indictment is
an accusation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty
at trial.
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