Operation Panama Express

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Operation Panama Express is a long-running Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) comprising participants from the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the United States Coast Guard, and the United States Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Florida. According to a March 2006 Congressional testimony by DEA Chief of Operations Michael Braun, Operation Panama Express has resulted in the seizure of 350 metric tons (392 tons) of cocaine and the arrests of 1,107 individuals. The OCDETF is based in Tampa, Florida and focuses primarily on interrupting cocaine shipments en route from South American, especially Colombia.

[edit] Joaquin Mario Valencia-Trujillo

The most notable notable individual arrested as a result of Operation Panama Express is alleged Colombian Cali Cartel kingpin Joaquin Mario Valencia-Trujillo. Trujillo was arrested on January 31st, 2003 in Bogota, Colombia and extradited in 2004 to the United States. His trial began on July 10th, 2006 in Tampa, Florida. Authorities have estimated that of all cocaine shipped into the United States each year, Trujillo has been responsible for shipping as much as 20%, or 100 tons per year.

The lead witness in Trujillo's trial is Jose Castrillon-Henao, a former Cali cartel maritime smuggling chief who became an FBI informant in 1999. Castrillon's story was made public in a 139-page FBI affidavit by Agent Roderick Huff.

[edit] External links

Congressional Testimony by Michael Braun (March 30th, 2006): http://www.dea.gov/pubs/cngrtest/ct033006.html

April 16th, 2005 Cocaine Seizure detailed in Coast Guard Magazine (April 27th, 2005): http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0PBY/is_2005_June/ai_n15378876

U.S. Dept. of Treasury names Trujillo Specially Designated Narcotics Trafficker (March 27th, 2003): http://www.ustreas.gov/press/releases/js138.htm

WTOP: "Testimony Begins in Alleged Kingpin Trial" (July 10th, 2006):

The Tampa Tribune: Former Principal details drug trade (July 13th, 2006):

The Tampa Tribune: "Trial Offers 'Miami Vice' Scenario" (July 5th, 2006): http://www.tbo.com/news/metro/MGB4B9J09PE.html

The Tampa Tribune: "The Confidential Witness" (July 10th, 2006): http://www.tbo.com/news/metro/MGBLGFLFGPE.html

The St. Petersburg Times: "Drug Trial Could Shake Colombia" (July 9th, 2006): http://www.sptimes.com/2006/07/09/Tampabay/Drug_trial_could_shak.shtml