FOUR VENEZUELAN MEN CHARGED WITH SMUGGLING OVER TWO TONS OF COCAINE ON THE SOUTH SHORE OF ST. CROIX

St. Croix, VI –United States Attorney Delia L. Smith expressed her appreciation to Homeland Security Investigations, United States Coast Guard, British Royal Navy, Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Virgin Islands Police Department for their diligent and unwavering effort in apprehending four individuals charged with possession with intent to distribute approximately 2,700 kilograms of cocaine.

“We continue to work closely with our Border Protection partners to dismantle transnational criminal organizations responsible for smuggling narcotics into the U.S. Virgin Islands”, stated Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Gonzalez-Ramos. “The shared resolve between the Coast Guard and our local, federal and regional partners in interdicting major drug smuggling activities in the high seas is instrumental to safeguarding our citizens in the U.S. Virgin Islands, the nation’s southern-most maritime border, from this threat,” said Capt. José Díaz, U.S. Coast Guard Sector San Juan Commander.” Drug Enforcement Administration’s Special Agent in Charge Denise Foster stated, “We will continue to work with our counterparts and allocate all our law enforcement resources to make a greater impact in vulnerable areas where criminal organizations dedicated to drug trafficking are causing greater damage.”

According to court documents, on February 11, 2024, at approximately 11:00 p.m., Customs and Border Protection detected a suspicious vessel traveling at approximately 67 nautical miles south of St Croix. The United States Coast Guard, assisted by the British Royal Navy, attempted to intercept the suspicious vessel, at which point the occupants on board the vessel began jettisoning bales of suspected narcotics overboard. On February 12, 2024, at approximately 3:00 a.m., vessel landed at Long Point, St. Croix, its occupants, later identified as Daniel Marval-Navarro, Desael Carreno-Carreno, Felix Jose Bermudez, and Luis Lugo-Marval, were taken into custody after they were observed walking in an open field in Estate Carlton wearing dripping wet clothing. Agents recovered the vessel and 74 bales containing 2,100 kilograms of cocaine. The United States Coast Guard later recovered an additional 26 bales which contained over 600 kilograms of cocaine. Based on estimates by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes, the street value of 2,700 kilograms of cocaine in excess of $77 million.

This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, Drug Enforcement Administration and Virgin Islands Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Evan Rikhye. United States Attorney Delia L. Smith reminds the public that a criminal complaint is merely an allegation and that all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.