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August
2000
OPERATION
JOURNEY
On August 26, 2000,
the DEA, the U.S. Customs Service, and the Joint Interagency Task Force-East
(JIATF-East) concluded "Operation Journey." This was a two-year, multi-national
initiative against a Colombian drug transportation organization that used
commercial vessels to haul multi-ton loads of cocaine to 12 countries,
most of them in North America and Europe.
The
investigation, which involved authorities from 12 nations and three continents,
resulted in the arrest of 40 individuals, including the alleged leader
of the maritime drug transportation organization, Ivan De La Vega, and
several of his subordinates. Since its inception, Operation Journey has
resulted in the seizure of more than 16 tons of cocaine from this Colombian
organization. The location of these seizures ranged from the Netherlands
to Venezuela. The operation also resulted in the seizure of commercial
shipping vessels, go-fast vessels, and communications equipment.
Operation
Journey dismantled an organization that shipped cocaine to 12 nations.
Over 16 tons of cocaine were seized. |
The operation began
as separate investigations by the DEA Office in Athens, Greece, and the
U.S. Customs Service Special Agent-in-Charge office in Houston, together
with significant input from European law enforcement agencies and JIATF-East.
Over time, numerous domestic and international agencies joined the operation.
Eventually, all merged their cases into a single probe. Prosecutors from
the Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section of the U.S. Justice Department's
Criminal Division were brought in to provide key legal guidance. The Justice
Department coordinated with the U.S. Customs Service, the DEA, and other
nations to develop the prosecution strategy used to dismantle this organization.
Foreign authorities
played critical roles in Operation Journey. The operation would not have
been possible without the efforts of law enforcement agencies from Great
Britain, Venezuela, Colombia, the Netherlands, Greece, Italy, Albania,
Panama, Belgium, Spain, and France.
As part of
Operation Journey, 4,000 kilograms of cocaine were seized from the
Castor, a commercial cargo vessel. |
The organization
targeted by Operation Journey served as a one-stop shipping service for
Colombian cartels interested in moving cocaine via maritime vessels to
U.S. and European markets. Based in Colombia and Venezuela, the organization
used a fleet of 8-to-10 commercial freighters capable of hauling huge
loads of cocaine anywhere in the world. Some of these ships were owned
outright by this organization while others were owned by entities in Greece
and other nations.
Typically, the cocaine
was transported from Colombia via land or air to the Orinoco River delta
on Venezuela's northeast coast. Upon arrival, the cocaine was stashed
by the organization in remote jungle hideouts. From these camps, go-fast
boats hauled the cocaine to commercial ships stationed offshore. Once
on-board, the cocaine was often concealed in secret compartments constructed
for smuggling purposes. Upon reaching its intended destination, the cocaine
was then off-loaded to waiting go-fast boats or other vessels and ferried
ashore to locations in Europe and the United States.
Investigators
from around the globe ultimately penetrated the highest levels of the
transportation organization. Customs agents developed key sources in Venezuela
and Colombia, while the DEA developed key sources in Europe. Investigators
gained information about cocaine shipments leaving for Europe and other
locations and passed this information to foreign and domestic authorities,
enabling them to make arrests and seizures.
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