International Drug Trafficking Operation Dismantled with Over a Ton of Cocaine Seized

A major international drug trafficking operation was dismantled through a joint effort between US and Belizean authorities, preventing over a ton of cocaine from entering the US. Carlos Humberto Henriquez Gomez, a 57-year-old Honduran national, was sentenced to 18 years in prison for his role in the conspiracy. The operation involved the use of a US-registered aircraft to transport cocaine from Venezuela to Belize, with Gomez playing a key role in planning and carrying out the operation.

Key Takeaways:

• A transnational drug trafficking organization used a US-registered aircraft to transport over a ton of cocaine from Venezuela to Belize, with Gomez as a key member.
• Gomez traveled to Belize in 2018 to inspect a clandestine airstrip for suitability and returned in 2019 to prepare it for arrival, then assisted in offloading the cocaine.
• Authorities intercepted the aircraft and a vehicle carrying the narcotics, seizing more than 1,300 kilograms of cocaine.
• The DEA Orlando District Office investigated the case, with critical assistance from the Belize Police Department's Anti-Narcotics Unit and DEA Belize.
• Key coordination between US Customs and Border Protection, the US Marshals Service, and the US Attorney's Office for the Western District of Texas facilitated Gomez's capture and transfer to Washington, D.C.
• Trial Attorneys Douglas Meisel and Colleen King of the Criminal Division's Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section prosecuted the case as part of Operation Take Back America.
• Operation Take Back America is a nationwide initiative to repel illegal immigration, eliminate cartels, and protect communities from violent crime.

Statistics:

• Over 1,300 kilograms of cocaine were seized.
• The operation involved the use of a US-registered aircraft.
• Gomez was sentenced to 18 years in prison.
• The investigation was conducted by the DEA Orlando District Office.
• Gomez was transferred to Washington, D.C., to face trial.

Sources:

• "Honduran National Sentenced to 18 Years in Prison for Participating in International Drug Trafficking Conspiracy" (U.S. Department of Justice).