A federal grand jury in Puerto Rico recently returned a six-count indictment which charges 63 people with drug trafficking in San Germán, Puerto Rico.
The indictment says the defendants have been part of a drug trafficking organization that distributed heroin, cocaine, crack cocaine, marijuana, fentanyl, oxycodone and alprazolam since 2015, according to an April 12 U.S. Department of Justice news release.
“This case is a prime example of successful drug interdiction operations that result from collaborative work between federal and state agencies,” U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico W. Stephen Muldrow said in the release. “We can remove wrongdoers from the streets and bring stability and peace to our communities when we jointly apply our resources, personnel and operational expertise to bear against extensive organized crime networks.”
The defendants are alleged to have distributed the drugs in the Manuel F. Rossy and El Recreo Public Housing Projects in San Germán, Puerto Rico, and nearby areas for financial gain and profit, the release said. The accused participated in a number of roles including leaders, enforcers, runners, sellers and facilitators.
The accused face a minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison if convicted, according to the release.
The investigation and arrest operation were part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, which is an independent program of the U.S. Department of Justice, the release said.
Leading the investigation, along with the filing of charges and arrests, were the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Puerto Rico Police Bureau Mayagüez Strike Force, the release reported. The agencies had help from the Drug Enforcement Administration; the U.S. Marshals Service; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Border Patrol Tactical Unit.
