September 01, 2009 Newman, Georgia
$2 million in drug proceeds seized from a drug trafficking cell

Thirteen individuals were indicted on September 1, 2009 and more than $2 million in drug proceeds were seized following an investigation led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Office of Investigations in Atlanta.

The investigation, which began in early April 2009, was conducted in conjunction with the ICE Office of Investigations in Houston and Laredo, the Coweta District Attorney's Office, the Gwinnett County Sheriff's Office, the Georgia State Patrol, the Newnan Police Department and the Marietta Cobb Smyrna Drug Task Force.

In addition to the money seized, ICE agents recovered 68 kilograms of cocaine, 800 pounds of marijuana and three firearms.

The investigation revealed that an Atlanta-based drug trafficking and money laundering cell was responsible for the clandestine introduction of large quantities of cocaine into the United States from Mexico. The cell used tractor-trailers loaded with legitimate merchandise to bring in illegal narcotics across the border. The proceeds from the drugs were subsequently transported in large quantities from the metro Atlanta area back to Mexico.

The Coweta District Attorney's Office indicted Robert Chavez-Diaz, 32 years of age; Miguel Angel Donis-Gonzales, 20 years of age; Jose Alberto Barriaga-Gonzales, 20 years of age ; Julian Alejandro Castro-Zamora, 27 years of age; Edgar Dominguez, 31 years of age; Ricardo Santiago, 35; Ramiro Luna-Urbina, 35 years of age; Roger Escobar, 22 years of age; Jose Luis Martinez-Gonzalez, 27 years of age; Jesus Chavez-Torrez, 40 years of age; Gustavo Flores, 26 years of age; Francisco Tello-Flores, 22 years of age and Ricardo Alvarez-Florentino, 40 years of age. All have been charged with Georgia state narcotics violations.

Source: U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement