Court Sentences Colombian Drug Smuggler Caught with Nearly Five and a Half Tons of Cocaine

On January 18, 2023, United States District Court Chief Judge Terry F. Moorer sentenced Alonzo Escobar-Valenzuela, a Colombian national, to 210 months imprisonment for smuggling 4,951 kilograms of cocaine in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. Escobar-Valenzuela had previously pled guilty to the offense.

Documents filed with the Court established that on December 13, 2021, while on routine patrol, in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, a Marine Patrol Aircraft detected a suspicious low profile go-fast vessel west of Malpelo, Colombia. The US Coast Guard Cutter James diverted to intercept.  The Coast Guard cutter launched an intercept vessel and a helicopter and requested that their command authorize a boarding of a vessel suspected of illicit maritime activity. The approach to the vessel revealed four persons on board, including the defendant.

There was no flag flown for the vessel, no vessel registration, and no claim of nationality for the vessel. No crewmembers claimed to be the Master or person in charge of the vessel. The vessel was properly deemed to be a “Vessel Without Nationality” in that it was a vessel aboard which any master or individual in charge failed, on request of an officer of the United States authorized to enforce applicable provisions of United States law, to make a claim of nationality or registry for that vessel under federal law. 

The Coast Guard boarding officers found approximately 4,951 kilograms of cocaine on board the vessel. The USCG also found an AK-47 assault rifle underneath the bales of cocaine with 20 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition.  

Escobar-Valenzuela later admitted that he was offered 80 million Columbian pesos to conduct the smuggling trip. He was paid 40 million Columbian pesos up front prior to the trip and was to be paid the remaining 40 million Columbian pesos after the trip was completed. Escobar-Valenzuela also admitted he recruited the other three crew members for the trip: Fernando Preciado, Nestor Javier Salazar Montano, and Henry Hernandez-Garcia.

All three of the co-defendants also pled guilty. Salazar-Montano and Hernandez Garcia were each previously sentenced by Judge Moorer to 168 months imprisonment. Preciado is scheduled to be sentenced on March 2, 2023.

In Title 46 of the United States Code, Congress found and declared that (1) trafficking in controlled substances aboard vessels is a serious international problem, is universally condemned, and presents a specific threat to the security and societal well-being of the United States and (2) operating or embarking in a submersible vessel or semi-submersible vessel without nationality and on an international voyage is a serious international problem, facilitates transnational crime, including drug trafficking, and terrorism, and presents a specific threat to the safety of maritime navigation and the security of the United States. Title 46 further provides that such offenses may be prosecuted in any United States federal district court. 

United States Attorney Sean P. Costello praised the exemplary work and dedication of the United States Coast Guard and federal investigators in interdicting and bringing these international drug smugglers to justice, noting “The wholesale value of the massive load of cocaine seized in this case is conservatively valued at approximately 140 million dollars.” Costello added that this is by far the largest seizure his office has prosecuted under Title 46 and represents a significant loss to the drug cartel. 

The case was investigated by the United States Coast Guard and the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney George F. May.