Filipino man arrested in LA County waters for allegedly hiding 500 pounds of cocaine on an oil tanker.
A Filipino national is currently facing federal charges in Los Angeles for his alleged involvement in the smuggling of an impressive 500 pounds of cocaine, hidden onboard an oil tanker traveling from Ecuador. This significant drug shipment was reportedly destined for a Mexican drug cartel, as indicated by officials on May 22.
The 43-year-old suspect, who resides in the Philippines, was apprehended on May 21 after law enforcement officials directed the tanker, named Aquatravesia, to anchor at the Los Angeles-Long Beach port area. Upon inspection of the vessel, authorities boarded the ship, leading to the discovery of the illicit narcotics, according to a statement released by the U.S. Department of Justice.
The legal proceedings stem from an affidavit that unveiled details of the case. Authorities had been alerted earlier that month about the Greek-owned and Liberian-flagged oil tanker, which had made its last port of call in Ecuador en route to the United States. The vessel was reportedly carrying an undisclosed quantity of drugs intended for the Mexican cartel.
As the ship made its journey, crew members stumbled upon numerous packages concealed within the ship’s garbage room, which were found to contain the suspected narcotics. Following the discovery, the ship’s captain secured the substances in a separate area of the tanker, according to the information presented by federal prosecutors.
Further investigations revealed that the suspect was in possession of the cocaine during the voyage, having allegedly received the consignment in Ecuador. His intentions were to distribute the narcotics to a third party while navigating through waters off Mexico. Reports from the captain suggested that armed cartel members were poised to intercept the Aquatravesia approximately 80 nautical miles from the Mexican coastline. If the drugs were not delivered as planned, additional vessels were reportedly waiting to board the oil tanker and seize the contraband.
Additionally, the captain expressed concerns about receiving radio communications believed to be from cartel members attempting to contact the Aquatravesia before a potential takeover.
If convicted on the charged count of importing a controlled substance, the suspect could face a substantial prison sentence of anywhere between 10 years to life, according to the statements made by prosecutors. This case highlights ongoing efforts to combat drug trafficking and the complex networks involved in smuggling operations.
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