Maximiliano Dávila Pérez, former head of Bolivia's Special Forces for the Fight against Drug Trafficking (FELCN), has been extradited to the United States to face federal charges of conspiring to import cocaine into the United States. He is also charged with conspiracy to use and possess an automatic weapon in connection with the cocaine importation scheme. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York announced Friday the extradition of Davila Perez from Bolivia.
Dávila Pérez, who led Bolivia's FELCN in 2019 under former President Evo Morales and was once the subject of a bounty of up to $5 million from the US State Department, is said to have tried to flee from Bolivia to Argentina in 2022. I was arrested. . According to the U.S. State Department, Davila was also suspected of money laundering in connection with the payment.
Mr. Davila-Perez made his first appearance Friday afternoon before Judge Robin F. Tarnofsky in federal court for the Southern District of New York. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Dávila Perez used his official position as Bolivia's top drug enforcement officer to facilitate a large-scale cocaine trafficking operation by attempting to divert personnel from investigating traffickers. He also sent heavily armed FELCN personnel under his command to guard the cocaine shipments, prosecutors said. Davila Perez allegedly partnered with a large cocaine supplier who operated a cocaine lab in Bolivia and agreed to transport more than 1,000 kilograms of Bolivian cocaine to New York.
The indictment against Davila Perez alleges that after he was removed from public office in Bolivia, he and his co-conspirators continued to arrange cocaine shipments from November 2019 to February 2020. This was revealed in the call records. In a series of recorded meetings and phone calls, the defendants discussed drug competition in the New York market, continued promises to provide armed protection for cocaine shipments, and the successful delivery of a 10-kilogram sample of cocaine in Lima. He is accused of having a conversation. , Peru was extradited around December 10, 2019, according to US authorities. Authorities say the extradition was in anticipation of Davila Perez and his large-scale cocaine shipments. The co-conspirators intended to import it into the United States under his protection.
DEA Administrator Ann Milgram commented on the extradition and prosecution case: As head of Bolivia's Drug Enforcement Agency, he turned law enforcement into a cocaine-trafficking machine, targeting a flood of cocaine. Our cities are full of poison. His betrayal of the public's trust ends here. ”
The 60-year-old Bolivian is charged with conspiracy to import cocaine into the United States and conspiracy to import cocaine into the United States and conspiracy to use and possess a machine gun in the process. possession of a machine gun in furtherance of a conspiracy to import cocaine; If convicted, he could face up to life in prison.
randy clark He is a 32-year veteran of the U.S. Border Patrol. Prior to his retirement, he served as Division Chief of Law Enforcement Operations, directing operations for nine Border Patrol stations within the Del Rio, Texas area. Follow him at X (formerly Twitter) @RandyClarkBBTX.
