Jeffrey H. Sloman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Mark R, Trouville, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration, Miami Field Division, announced today that six persons indicted by a federal grand jury in Miami were provisionally arrested today in Colombia for potential extradition to the United States. Arrested today were defendants Luis Carlos Montoya-Rueda, a/k/a “Caliche,” Cesar Rolando Gonzalez-Arizabaleta, Bolivar Cifuentes Valencia, a/k/a “Don Boli,” Saul Estupinan-Yesquen, Jair Buenanos-Sanchez, and Celimo Rendon-Ramos. One additional defendant remains at large.

The indictment, filed in the Southern District of Florida on May 21,2009 and unsealed today, charges these defendants with five separate felony narcotics trafficking counts, including conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine and possession of more than five kilograms of cocaine aboard a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. Buenanos-Sanchez is individually charged with money laundering. The indictment also seeks the forfeiture of drug proceeds. If convicted, the defendants face a maximum of up to life in prison. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Adalberto Jordan.

Mr. Sloman commended the investigative efforts of the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Colombian Technical Investigative Service (CTI), who conducted the arrest operation in Colombia. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Morales.

An Indictment is only an accusation, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

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A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.