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Five people were arrested this week for allegedly transporting 22.1 tons of cocaine and more than $100 million in drug proceeds between Los Angeles and New York City. They were charged with participating in a multimillion-dollar drug trafficking organization that used luxury private shipping companies to fly the drugs and proceeds from the drugs between the two cities.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Central District of California, three of the defendants were arraigned in United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, while the other two had their initial court appearances in Los Angeles federal court. Two other suspects, both from New York City, are still being sought by authorities.
Several other defendants are already in federal custody, including the alleged ringleaders of the organization, David Rodriguez, 45, a.k.a. “Gotti” and “Fat Boy,” of Dumont, New Jersey, and Raymond O’Connell, 39, a.k.a. “Sal” and “White Boy,” of the Manhattan borough of New York City.
“According to the superseding indictment, Rodriguez and O’Connell over several years directed the purchase and storage of bulk quantities of cocaine in Los Angeles, for distribution on the East Coast,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office wrote in a press release announcing the arrests. “From an office fronting as a jewelry store in the California Jewelry Mart in downtown Los Angeles, members of the DTO shipped locked plastic cases concealing cocaine to New York City’s Diamond District using high-value freight forwarding companies. These companies specialize in shipping jewelry, precious metals, and fine art.
“The cocaine was then redistributed by co-conspirators along the East Coast. Rodriguez and O’Connell also directed the shipment of drug proceeds from New York to Los Angeles, where co-conspirators laundered the money and sent it to others inside the organization.”
U.S. Attorney Los Angeles
The U.S. Attorney also stated that an investigation discovered that at least 1,300 parcels were shipped between Los Angeles and New York. More than 800 of the parcels containing concealed cocaine were shipped from Los Angeles to New York. These parcels an estimated wholesale value in Los Angeles of approximately $315 million. Approximately 500 of the parcels containing concealed cocaine were shipped from New York to Los Angeles. Those packages had a value of more than $105 million.
Over $2.8 million in cash drug proceeds, as well as high-end cars and jewelry that were purchased using drug proceeds were seized. More than $100 million in drug proceeds total were allegedly shipped between Los Angeles and New York City.
U.S. Attorney Los Angeles
Both Rodriguez and O’Connell face mandatory sentences of life in federal prison. They have been charged with engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise, conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute cocaine, four counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and conspiracy to launder monetary instruments and money laundering.