Individual Arrested For Possession With Intent To Distribute Cocaine At The Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport

San Juan, Puerto Rico– Today, U.S. Magistrate Judge Silvia Carreño-Coll authorized a complaint charging Abraham Moisés Pagán-Rola with drug trafficking at the Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in Carolina, P.R. (LMMIA), announced U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico, Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez. The Drug Enforcement Administration is in charge of the investigation.

Today, at approximately 5:00 am, AirTAT agents were conducting random interdictions on JetBlue Flight #1504 departing San Juan LMMIA in Carolina, Puerto Rico destined to the John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, NY. AirTAT agents encountered passenger Abraham Moises Pagán-Rola at the JetBlue A-4 gate, where the flight was scheduled to depart and interviewed him. Pagán-Rola was acting nervous and suspiciously when the agents asked if they could search his carry-on bag. The defendant gave consent and the agents found fifteen (15) bricks of cocaine inside Pagán-Rola’s carry-on bag weighing approximately 16.7 kilograms.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stuart Zander. The case was investigated by the Airport Investigations and Tactical Team (AirTAT).

The maximum penalties for these offenses are at least 10 years but not more than 40 years of imprisonment. A criminal complaint is an accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. Defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.