Panama's Air-Naval police stand guard near packages containing cocaine prior to a news conference in Panama City, Monday, July 30, 2012. (Associated Press/Arnulfo Franco)
SAN DIEGO — A U.S. Marine veteran who rose to power as a reputed Mexican drug kingpin has been named in a massive cocaine-trafficking indictment in San Diego.
The investigation into Angel Dominguez Ramirez Jr.'s organization revealed "an unprecedented level of corruption within the Mexican government, local police departments, federal police agencies and military," the U.S. attorney's office said in a recent court filing.
More than 41 people have been charged in the case, which has yielded 5,000 kilograms, or about 11,000 pounds, of seized cocaine and more than $9 million in drug proceeds.
A highly decorated Army Special Forces soldier pleaded guilty to charges of drug trafficking conspiracy, admitting he attempted to smuggle nearly 90 pounds of cocaine from Colombia to Florida aboard a military aircraft in August 2018.
Two more people, including a Colombian citizen, have been indicted on charges related to an alleged cocaine smuggling scheme involving a 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) soldier who reportedly tried to get nearly 90 pounds of cocaine into the United States from Colombia.
An Army 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) soldier faces trial next month in U.S. District Court in Pensacola, Florida, on two counts of conspiring in the trafficking of cocaine.
