Major Gang Bust in Puerto Rico: 62 Charged with Drug Trafficking and Firearms Violations

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By Staff Writer | iSkyCreations - News & Media (ISC News & Media)
Published May 2nd, 2024

ARECIBO, Puerto Rico — In a significant crackdown on organized crime, a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico has indicted 62 members of a violent gang operating in the Arecibo area. Announced on April 24, the charges include conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute narcotics, possession and distribution of controlled substances, and firearms violations. The defendants are accused of conducting their illegal activities primarily around multiple public housing projects, intensifying the peril to local communities.

“Thanks to the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), FBI, U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and our state and local partners, more than 60 alleged gang members have been charged and over $72 million in drugs have been seized in this operation,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The residents of public housing projects deserve better than to be terrorized by violent drug trafficking gangs, and the Justice Department will be relentless in our efforts to dismantle the gangs that fuel violent crime and profit from poisoning our communities.”

The operation, spearheaded by the ATF and DEA in collaboration with local and federal agencies, targeted the drug trafficking organization believed to be responsible for distributing a variety of illegal drugs, including crack cocaine, heroin, cocaine, marijuana, Oxycodone, Alprazolam, Clonazepam, and Tramadol within the vicinity of five public housing projects collectively known as El Cotto. The leaders of this drug trafficking organization allegedly met regularly to strategize and maintain their control over the area through violence and intimidation.

“The allegations in today’s indictments tell a scary story about gang violence in these public housing communities,” said ATF Director Steven Dettelbach. “For all the innocent residents who are trying to raise healthy families in safe communities, law enforcement wants you to know that we are here for you. Living in public housing cannot, and should not, mean being subjected to an atmosphere of gun violence and drug dealing around you and your family. ATF’s number one priority is getting the worst criminals — the trigger pullers and drug dealers — off the streets. When rival gangs declare war on each other in the streets in any city, it is the innocent bystanders that suffer the greatest consequences. I want to commend all the ATF agents and our federal and local partners who worked tirelessly to make Arecibo and all of Puerto Rico a safer place.”

“The arrests in this case underscore the resolve of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and its law enforcement partners to uphold the rule of law and bring to justice violent criminals who threaten our communities,” said U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow for the District of Puerto Rico. “The Justice Department remains steadfast in its commitment to dismantle criminal organizations, hold gang members accountable, and pursue justice for victims.”

If convicted, the defendants face severe penalties, with potential life sentences for the drug trafficking charges and additional mandatory sentences for the firearms violations. The indictment also includes a narcotics forfeiture allegation amounting to $72,868,600.

This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation aimed at dismantling high-level criminal enterprises that pose a significant threat to national security and public safety.

It is important to note that an indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The case remains ongoing, with further developments anticipated as the prosecution moves forward.

For Immediate Release: Office of Public Affairs

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