United States Attorney
Southern District of New York
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: U.S. ATTORNEY’S OFFICE
NOVEMBER 24, 2010 ELLEN DAVIS,
PREET BHARARA, the United States Attorney for the
Southern District of New York, and JOHN P. GILBRIDE, the Special
Agent-in-Charge of the New York Field Division of the Drug
Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), announced the arrival of
OSCAR JIMENEZ-ALFARO, who was brought from Panama to face charges
relating to the attempted importation of approximately 2,000
kilograms of cocaine into the United States. JIMENEZ, 54,
resides in Honduras and was arrested in Panama in June of 2010.
JIMENEZ is expected to make his initial appearance before U.S.
District Judge SHIRA A. SCHEINDLIN on November 29, 2010.
According to the Indictment and other documents:
JIMENEZ-ALFARO is a member of a drug smuggling
organization primarily based in Honduras and has helped
coordinate multi-kilogram shipments of cocaine intended for
distribution in the United States. Typically, the cocaine was
shipped from Panama to Honduras in hidden compartments of fishing
boats or other vessels with a legal cover-load. The cocaine was
then transferred from the vessel at sea via go-fast boats in
Honduran waters and transported over land via tractor-trailers to
Guatemala and then to Mexico and into the United States.
In or about June 2006, JIMENEZ conspired to transport
2,000 kilograms of cocaine destined for the United States, using
a fishing vessel named the “Treasure of the Sea.” After the
vessel departed Panama with a cover-load of appliances and other
items, the crews of go-fast boats transferred the cocaine from
the go-fast boats into a hidden compartment on the Treasure of
the Sea.
The U.S. Coast Guard intercepted the Treasure of the
Sea as it traveled to meet JIMENEZ near Corn Island, Nicaragua.
After a preliminary search failed to locate the cocaine and
custody of the vessel was transferred to the Nicaraguan Navy, the
vessel sank before a complete search could be conducted. JIMENEZ
and his co-conspirators unsuccessfully attempted to recover the
cocaine on board the vessel.
JIMENEZ is charged with one count of conspiring to
import narcotics into the United States, which carries a maximum
sentence of life in prison. The case is assigned to U.S.
District Judge SHIRA A. SCHEINDLIN.
Mr. BHARARA praised the investigative work of the DEA’s
New York Field Division and Tampa District Office, the DEA’s
Panama City Country Office and Tegucigalpa Country Office of
Honduras, and the Department of Justice’s Office of International
Affairs. Mr. BHARARA also thanked the Panamanian National
Police, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle
District of Florida, the Department of Justice, INTERPOL, U.S.
National Central Bureau and Panama Offices, and the United States
Coast Guard.
The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s
Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney CARRIE H. COHEN is in
charge of the prosecution.
The charge contained in the Indictment is merely an
accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and
until proven guilty.
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