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Former Heavyweight Boxer Charged With Trafficking $1 Billion of Cocaine Former Heavyweight Boxer Charged With Trafficking $1 Billion of Cocaine
(32 minutes later)
Goran Gogic, a former professional boxer, was charged in a Brooklyn federal court last week with trafficking over 20 tons of cocaine, estimated to be worth more than $1 billion, prosecutors said.Goran Gogic, a former professional boxer, was charged in a Brooklyn federal court last week with trafficking over 20 tons of cocaine, estimated to be worth more than $1 billion, prosecutors said.
Officials said in a news release that Mr. Gogic was a “major drug trafficker” who they believe conspired with an extensive network of drug suppliers, ship crew members and port workers to traffic vast amounts of cocaine from Colombia to Europe via U.S. ports, often using commercial cargo ships to stash the drugs.Officials said in a news release that Mr. Gogic was a “major drug trafficker” who they believe conspired with an extensive network of drug suppliers, ship crew members and port workers to traffic vast amounts of cocaine from Colombia to Europe via U.S. ports, often using commercial cargo ships to stash the drugs.
In February, March and June of 2019, according to prosecutors, U.S. law enforcement officers seized three shipments amounting to 22 tons of cocaine. One shipment contained nearly 40,000 pounds of cocaine, valued at roughly $1 billion, prosecutors said. The bust, at the Port of Philadelphia in June 2019, was one of the largest cocaine seizures on record in the United States, prosecutors said.In February, March and June of 2019, according to prosecutors, U.S. law enforcement officers seized three shipments amounting to 22 tons of cocaine. One shipment contained nearly 40,000 pounds of cocaine, valued at roughly $1 billion, prosecutors said. The bust, at the Port of Philadelphia in June 2019, was one of the largest cocaine seizures on record in the United States, prosecutors said.
The value of the other two seized shipments was unclear.The value of the other two seized shipments was unclear.
After a joint investigation conducted by local, state and federal agencies, Mr. Gogic was arrested on Sunday at Miami International Airport while trying to board an international flight headed to Zurich, prosecutors said.After a joint investigation conducted by local, state and federal agencies, Mr. Gogic was arrested on Sunday at Miami International Airport while trying to board an international flight headed to Zurich, prosecutors said.
Breon Peace, the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York, said that Mr. Gogic’s arrest and indictment represented a “body blow” to the criminal organization the defendant belonged to.Breon Peace, the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York, said that Mr. Gogic’s arrest and indictment represented a “body blow” to the criminal organization the defendant belonged to.
Lawrence A. Hashish, a lawyer in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., who said he represented Mr. Gogic, told USA Today that the charges “came as a surprise.” Lawrence A. Hashish, a lawyer in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., who said he represented Mr. Gogic, said that the charges “came as a surprise.” Mr. Hashish said his client had traveled for a boxing convention in Puerto Rico and that there hadn’t been an outstanding arrest warrant before his arrival in the United States.
“He wasn’t wanted before. His name was flagged, but he was never wanted before,” Mr. Hashish said. “And that’s going to be a big issue with his case.”
Mr. Gogic, 43, from Montenegro, was a heavyweight boxer who fought mostly in Germany and finished his career with a 21-4-2 record with 14 knockouts. His last bout appeared to have been in 2012.Mr. Gogic, 43, from Montenegro, was a heavyweight boxer who fought mostly in Germany and finished his career with a 21-4-2 record with 14 knockouts. His last bout appeared to have been in 2012.
He was charged with one count of conspiracy to violate the Maritime Drug Law Enforcement Act and three counts of violating the Maritime Drug Law Enforcement Act, prosecutors said. The indictment was unsealed on Monday in federal court, court records show.He was charged with one count of conspiracy to violate the Maritime Drug Law Enforcement Act and three counts of violating the Maritime Drug Law Enforcement Act, prosecutors said. The indictment was unsealed on Monday in federal court, court records show.
Prosecutors called Mr. Gogic’s role “integral” to the operation, “as he oversaw the logistics for getting the cocaine from South America to Europe via the United States,” according to court documents.Prosecutors called Mr. Gogic’s role “integral” to the operation, “as he oversaw the logistics for getting the cocaine from South America to Europe via the United States,” according to court documents.
Between May and July of 2019, Mr. Gogic conspired with others to traffic cocaine sourced in Colombia and transported through U.S. ports, for the ultimate goal of distribution in Europe, prosecutors said. At night, cocaine was ferried by speedboat to commercial cargo ships, hoisted aboard using a crane and loaded onto the vessels. The illicit deliveries were then concealed in containers. Altogether, prosecutors said, the process was a “complex operation” of logistics that required access to many details, including each ship’s crew, route, real-time positioning and awareness of the “legitimate cargo” in the containers.Between May and July of 2019, Mr. Gogic conspired with others to traffic cocaine sourced in Colombia and transported through U.S. ports, for the ultimate goal of distribution in Europe, prosecutors said. At night, cocaine was ferried by speedboat to commercial cargo ships, hoisted aboard using a crane and loaded onto the vessels. The illicit deliveries were then concealed in containers. Altogether, prosecutors said, the process was a “complex operation” of logistics that required access to many details, including each ship’s crew, route, real-time positioning and awareness of the “legitimate cargo” in the containers.
In Europe, the international drug conspiracy relied on another set of port workers to “clandestinely access and remove the cocaine from the shipping containers,” prosecutors said, adding that “significant amounts of cocaine” were seized at ports in Panama, Peru and the Netherlands, as well as in other countries.In Europe, the international drug conspiracy relied on another set of port workers to “clandestinely access and remove the cocaine from the shipping containers,” prosecutors said, adding that “significant amounts of cocaine” were seized at ports in Panama, Peru and the Netherlands, as well as in other countries.
Ivan J. Arvelo, a special agent in charge for Homeland Security Investigations in New York, said that Mr. Gogic’s arrest sent “a message to narco-traffickers worldwide that they are not free to hijack international maritime commerce with impunity.”Ivan J. Arvelo, a special agent in charge for Homeland Security Investigations in New York, said that Mr. Gogic’s arrest sent “a message to narco-traffickers worldwide that they are not free to hijack international maritime commerce with impunity.”
Mr. Gogic will be arraigned in the Eastern District of New York at a later date, prosecutors said. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and up to life in prison.Mr. Gogic will be arraigned in the Eastern District of New York at a later date, prosecutors said. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and up to life in prison.
Mr. Gogic, deemed a flight risk, is being held at the federal detention center in Miami, where he awaits a bail hearing next week, according to John Marzulli, a spokesman for the U.S. attorney’s office for the Eastern District of New York.Mr. Gogic, deemed a flight risk, is being held at the federal detention center in Miami, where he awaits a bail hearing next week, according to John Marzulli, a spokesman for the U.S. attorney’s office for the Eastern District of New York.
Several others involved in the June 2019 bust in Philadelphia have already been arrested and sentenced. Seven crew members of the shipping vessel MSC Gayane pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, prosecutors said. At least three of these individuals were sentenced last year to more than five years in prison.Several others involved in the June 2019 bust in Philadelphia have already been arrested and sentenced. Seven crew members of the shipping vessel MSC Gayane pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, prosecutors said. At least three of these individuals were sentenced last year to more than five years in prison.