Federal Agents Arrest 3 Men In Suspected Mexico-To-Chicago Cocaine Pipeline, Seize Private Jet
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Federal authorities have arrested three people in connection with a suspected Mexico-to-Chicago drug pipeline, and have also seized a private jet and 100 kilograms of cocaine.
This past Wednesday, federal agents found a 80 kilograms of cocaine in a vehicle in River North, and another 20 kilograms in a hotel in the Gold Coast, according to criminal complaints.
Prosecutors said the cocaine was transported to the Chicago area the same day on a private plane from Toluca, Mexico through Houston. The plane landed at Gary/Chicago International Airport and the drugs were then driven to downtown Chicago in suitcases, prosecutors alleged.
Two defendants – Sebastian Vazquez-Gamez, 30, of Toluca de Lerdo, Mexico, and Rodrigo Alexis Jimenez-Perez, 25, of Columbus, Indiana, were arrested downtown on Wednesday. A third, Sergio Ivan Blas, 39, of Indianapolis, was arrested Thursday in the Indianapolis area.
On Monday, federal agents got the warrant to seize the private plane – a Bombardier Challenger 600.
Jimenez-Perez is set for a detention hearing on Tuesday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Gabriel Fuentes at the Dirksen Federal Courthouse. Vazquez-Gamez will appear before the same judge on Wednesday. Blas is to appear for an initial court appearance on Wednesday in the federal court in the Southern District of Indiana.
Prosecutors said Vazquez-Gamez arrived on the plane at the Gary airport, and loaded the suitcases full of cocaine into a Lincoln Navigator sport-utility vehicle. He and others from the plane also rode the Lincoln to a Chicago hotel, prosecutors said.
Outside the hotel, Vazquez-Gamez loaded some of the suitcases into a Toyota Highlander sport-utility vehicle that Jimenez-Perez drove, prosecutors said.
Agents pulled over the Toyota SUV a few blocks away, seized the suitcases, and arrested Jimenez-Perez. Vazquez-Gamez was arrested in his hotel room soon afterward, and agents seized the rest of the cocaine there.
Blas is accused of directing Jimenez-Perez on where to rendezvous with Vazquez-Gamez to pick up the cocaine, prosecutors said.
