Mexican Cartel Leader Extradited to Georgia for Drug Trafficking and Money Laundering
Omar Cuenca-Marino, 41, of Guerrero, Mexico, has been arraigned on federal charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and unlawful import of methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin into the United States, as well as conspiracy to commit money laundering. Cuenca-Marino, the alleged leader of the Los Rojos Mexican Drug Cartel, was indicted in 2016.
“The arrest and extradition of Omar Cuenca-Marino, the alleged Los Rojos cartel leader, marks a significant success for the ongoing U.S. efforts to dismantle drug trafficking cartels and secure our borders,” said Steven N. Schrank, Special Agent in Charge of HSI Atlanta, which covers Georgia and Alabama. “As part of our commitment to combating the opioid crisis and transnational crime, we are leveraging every available resource to disrupt cross border criminal operations. This case sends a clear message that we, alongside our law enforcement partners, will not tolerate those who seek to profit from the distribution of dangerous narcotics.”
The indictment alleges that between 2013 and 2016, Cuenca-Marino oversaw the importation of large quantities of heroin, methamphetamine, and cocaine from Mexico into the United States. He allegedly directed the smuggling of these drugs using buses and tractor-trailers and arranged for the collection and transport of millions of dollars in drug proceeds back to Mexico.
Specific incidents cited in the indictment include:
- October 11, 2013: Seizure of approximately 75 kilograms of methamphetamine, 23 kilograms of heroin, and 47 kilograms of cocaine in Vinings and Hiram, Georgia, allegedly directed by Cuenca-Marino.
- November 20, 2015: Seizure of 76 packages of cocaine from a vehicle in Duluth, Georgia, with Cuenca-Marino allegedly providing the contact information for the Atlanta-based trafficker.
- February 9, 2016: Seizure of $425,900 in drug proceeds from a vehicle in Phelps County, Missouri, with the driver allegedly contacting Cuenca-Marino after the seizure.
Cuenca-Marino was extradited to the United States after being arrested in Mexico.
“Drug cartels have caused the death of many people in the United States and Mexico through violence and the distribution of illegal drugs,” said Special Agent in Charge Demetrius Hardeman, IRS Criminal Investigation, Atlanta Field Office. “Once identified by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, IRS Criminal Investigation special agents investigate these cartels finances and their involvement with narcotics to help bring them down.”
The investigation was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), with assistance from numerous federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Herskowitz.
