News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 2, 2004

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Joe Kilmer, Special Agent,
Public Information Officer
Office: 305-994-4837
Cellular: 305-345-6085

Death Of Former DEA Fort Lauderdale Task Force Officer Curtis Mancini

Detective Curtis Mancini

Last week the media became aware of the death in Afghanistan of Davie Police Detective Curtis Mancini. Curt was a 17-year veteran of the Davie Police Department, but also a 9-year veteran of the Drug Enforcement Administration Fort Lauderdale Task Force. Curt served as a Task Force Officer and back-up supervisor during his time in the Task Force from 1991 to 1999, and he was the third longest working Task Force member in the history of the Task Force at the Fort Lauderdale Office. Below are just a few of the highlights of his 9-year career with the Task Force:

Curt worked primarily on OPERATION PRINCESS, a money laundering investigation which was, in the early 1990's, the most successful money laundering investigation in DEA history. The DEA Agents and Task Force Officers often worked in an undercover capacity, posing as money launderers and picking up large quantities of U.S. Currency. This currency, which was the illegal proceeds of drug trafficking, was picked up at locations all over the United States and Europe. When the case finally culminated in 1999, over 23 million dollars was seized and returned via the Asset Forfeiture provision to the various Broward County Police Departments who had their officers working in the Task Force. Through Curt's participation and tireless work, the Davie Police Department received in excess of one million dollars during this time period.

Curt was also the co-case agent on OPERATION CRACK ATTACK, a complex investigation targeting an extremely violent and murderous cocaine smuggling organization based in the Caribbean island of Trinidad and Tobago. This investigation began in 1992 and ended only recently, and resulted in the complete dismantling of a drug network that was shipping large quantities of cocaine to South Florida on a monthly basis. In all over thirty (30) defendants were arrested and convicted. This case marked one of the very first times a defendant was arrested in Trinidad and Tobago and successfully extradited to the United States. That lead defendant, Zimmern Beharry, was eventually convicted in 1998 in Miami and sentenced to several Life prison terms. Another primary defendant, Mankissoon Boodran, was convicted in Trinidad and Tabogo and hung in 1999 in Port of Spain for his crimes.

Curt was also recognized for his dedication during his time on the Task Force when he and others received both the United States Attorney's Office's Outstanding Law Enforcement Officer Award, as well as the National Narcotic Enforcement Officer's Association Award. Both these awards are extremely prestigious, and are only given to a select number of law enforcement officers. The Davie Police Department is coordinating all of the media relations for the Memorial Service to be held on Wednesday in Davie.

The DEA Miami PIO Office would like to offer any supplemental assistance to the media as a way of giving further insight into the outstanding work that Curt did as a member of our DEA family. PIO Special Agent Joe Kilmer will be available at the DEA Fort Lauderdale Office at 3:00 PM today for comments and be able to provide photos of Curt and the cases he worked on, should any media outlet be interested. The office is located at 1475 West Cypress Creek Road, Suite 301, in Fort Lauderdale.