Operation Foxhound nets 47 arrests for drug trafficking, firearms violations, money laundering

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – During an operation dubbed Foxhound, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents, working jointly with other federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, conducted simultaneous takedowns Wednesday in the municipalities of Manati, Barceloneta and Florida, as well as in New York, Florida and Connecticut. The operation resulted in the arrest of 47 individuals for their alleged participation in a drug trafficking, illegal firearms and money laundering conspiracy.

The indictment alleges that beginning in 2000, the drug trafficking organization distributed crack, heroin, cocaine, marijuana, Oxycodon and Alprazolam, also known as Xanax, within 1,000 feet of a real property comprising a housing facility owned by a public housing authority. The object of the conspiracy was to distribute controlled substances at the Enrique Zorilla and Los Murales public housing projects and the Cortes, San Jose and the Acueducto wards, all located in the municipality of Manatí. The drug trafficking organization also distributed controlled substances at V & B public housing project in Barceloneta, and the Villas de Florida public housing project, located in the municipality of Florida, all for financial gain and profit. The forfeiture allegation involving the laundered drug proceeds in this case is in the amount of more than $30 million.

The members of the drug trafficking organization had many roles in order to further the goals of the conspiracy. According to the indictment, this drug trafficking organization, considered to be one of the largest in northern Puerto Rico, had leaders who acted as drug point owners and enforcers, narcotics suppliers, runners, drug processors, sellers and look-outs/facilitators. Eighteen of the individuals arrested are facing one count of possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

Those arrested were the targets of a long-term Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDEFT) investigation led by HSI. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the FBI, the Puerto Rico Department of Treasury and the Puerto Rico Police Department assisted in the investigation.

Those arrested face sentences of 10 years to life in prison for the narcotics violations and up to 20 years for the money laundering violations.

HSI agents enforce a wide range of criminal statutes including Title 18 and Title 19 of the U.S. Code. These statutes address general smuggling issues as well as customs violations. ICE also enforces Title 21, which covers the importation, distribution, manufacture and possession of illegal narcotics.

HSI agents have extensive knowledge of the border environment and techniques employed by smuggling organizations to transport contraband into the United States. This expertise has been gained through years of experience in conducting undercover operations, utilizing confidential informants, special enforcement operations and conducting contraband smuggling investigations.

The methods used by smuggling organizations are always changing and through continued training, the use of emerging technologies and dedication, ICE has maintained its expertise in disrupting and dismantling these criminal organizations.