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News
Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 26, 2002
FOR
INFORMATION CONTACT
Special Agent Waldo P. Santiago
Public Information Officer
800-718-0781
DEA
DISMANTLES HEROIN AND COCAINE TRAFFICKING ORGANIZATION OPERATING IN THE
SAN JUAN METRO AREA
Cocaine
Hydrochloride (HCI) |
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 five members
of a heroin and cocaine distribution organization operating in the San
Juan-Metropolitan Area of Puerto Rico. The investigation, initiated by
the DEA San Juan Field Office on September of 1998 and which followed
the organization activities through August of 1999, revealed that the
members of this organization distributed multi kilogram quantities of
cocaine and heroin, throughout the San Juan, Puerto Rico Metro Area.
This drug trafficking
organization distributed cocaine in kilogram quantities at a price ranging
from $15,000 to $18,000 per kilogram, and heroin in one-eighth-kilogram
(125 grams) quantities at a price ranging from $9,000 to $10,000. The
organization principal members are Julio LAGUNA-Estela, alias Miguelito,
identified as the source of supply of the heroin distributed by the organization,
and Irwin Luis FIGUEROA-Rodriguez alias Peter, identified as the source
of supply of the cocaine distributed by the organization. In addition,
Jesus TOCUYO-Gonzalez, alias Chuito, is identified as the principal distributor
of cocaine and heroin for the organization.
This morning, a contingent
of over 50 federal and local law enforcement agents simultaneously executed
10 arrest warrants in the Puerto Rican towns of Toa Alta, Catano, Bayamon,
Toa Baja, San Juan, and Ponce. The arrest warrants were issued on March
5, 2002, pursuant to a Federal Grand Jury indictment charging the members
of the organization with distribution and conspiracy to distribute cocaine
and heroin in violation to Title 21 United States Code, Section: 841(a)(1)
and 846 (Federal Controlled Substances Act) between September of 1998
and August of 1999. The indictment alleges that the members of this organization
used pagers and cellular telephones to communicate with each other for
the purpose of facilitating their drug trafficking activities. The indictment
further alleges that the members of this organization used nicknames,
veiled or coded language and/or references in their telephone and other
conversations to describe their drug trafficking transactions..
The individuals arrested
today are:
1. Jesus TOCUYO-Gonzalez,
alias Chuito, Urbanizacion Estancias de la Fuente, Calle Principe, AA-15,
Toa Alta, PR
2. Irwin Luis FIGUEROA-Rodriguez, alias Peter, alias Joel Caraballo-Claudio,
Urbanizacion Las Vegas, Guanabana Street, 0-15, Catano, PR.
3. Rafael GONZALEZ-Santana, alias Wito, Urbanizacion Sierra Bayamon, Calle
39-9, Bloque 35, Bayamon, PR.
4. Jose HEREDIA-Nieves, alias Checo, V-20 Calle Ladi, Levittown, Toa Baja,
PR
5. Cruz ESCOBAR-Negron, alias Pucho, Urbanizacion Jardines del Caribe,
Calle 1 #209, Ponce, PR.
Two defendants had
advised that they would surrender voluntarily trough their defense attorneys.
Defendant Julio LAGUNA-Estela, alias Miguelito, was already incarcerated
at the Federal Bureau of Prisons Metropolitan Detention Center in Guaynabo,
PR. Defendant Rafael GUZMAN-Rodriguez, alias Parkinson, alias Fin, remains
a fugitive and is being sought jointly by the DEA and the U.S. Marshals
Service's Puerto Rico Fugitive Task Force. The indictment is an accusation
and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty at trial.
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