NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – Six individuals from Mexico and Ecuador have been sentenced for their involvement in a cocaine trafficking operation intercepted in international waters near Mexico. The sentences follow a U.S. Coast Guard operation that seized over 1,790 kilograms (nearly 2 tons) of cocaine, valued at millions of dollars.
The bust occurred on February 24, 2024, when a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter from the Cutter Munro spotted a suspicious “go-fast vessel” (GFV) 450 nautical miles southwest of Acapulco. The vessel, lacking nationality markings, caught the attention of the crew. As the cutter diverted to intercept, a smaller pursuit craft, the Long-Range Interceptor (LRI), was launched to investigate.
As the LRI approached, the helicopter crew witnessed the GFV jettison a fuel barrel before warning shots were fired, prompting the crew to halt. Coast Guard boarding teams took control of the vessel, finding six individuals aboard:
- Rudi Euriel Santos Bernal
- Juan Manuel Gastelum Valenzuela
- Ronny Rosado Alvarez
- Juan Ramon Vega Cardenas
- Manuel Rodrigo Otero Rivera
- Kennedy Samuel Rivera Flores
The crew had no documentation linking the vessel to a nation, allowing U.S. authorities to classify it as “stateless” and perform a full search. Onboard, the Coast Guard discovered 38 bales of cocaine.
Sentencing Details
- Rudi Euriel Santos Bernal: Pled guilty September 18, 2024, and received two years in prison on January 21.
- Juan Manuel Gastelum Valenzuela: Pled guilty August 19, 2024, and sentenced to two years in prison on December 18, 2024.
- Ronny Rosado Alvarez and Kennedy Samuel Rivera Flores: Both pled guilty August 20, 2024, and were sentenced to two years each on December 18, 2024.
- Manuel Rodrigo Otero Rivera: Pled guilty July 29, 2024, and sentenced to two years on December 11, 2024.
- Juan Ramon Vega Cardenas: Pled guilty July 29, 2024, and received a sentence of two years and three months on January 21.
The case highlights the ongoing battle against transnational drug trafficking networks operating in international waters. By intercepting the shipment, authorities potentially prevented the drugs from reaching distribution networks across the United States.
The U.S. Coast Guard continues its vigilance in patrolling key maritime zones to disrupt criminal activity.