Pubdate: Fri, 07 Jul 2000
Source: Washington Times (DC)
Copyright: 2000 News World Communications, Inc.
Contact:  http://www.washtimes.com/
Author: Jerry Seper, The Washington Times

PUERTO RICO RAIDS NET 40 MEMBERS OF DRUG OPERATION

A task force of more than 300 U.S. drug agents swept through several cities 
in Puerto Rico Thursday to arrest 40 members of a violent cocaine and 
heroin smuggling operation responsible for more than 30 killings over the 
past year.

The arrests, part of an investigation known as "Operation Chupa Cabra," 
culminated a nine-month undercover probe by the U.S. Drug Enforcement 
Administration that targeted members of the notorious Miguel O'Connor-Colon 
drug-trafficking organization.

Sixty gang members were named in a sealed federal grand jury indictment 
handed up June 30 in U.S. District Court in San Juan. Twelve separate 
search warrants were issued for Thursday's raids. Twenty ring members 
remained at large late Thursday, but additional arrests were expected.

"Today's arrests illustrate effective cooperation between law enforcement," 
said Attorney General Janet Reno is a statement. "The collaborative effort 
demonstrated during this operation sends a strong message to those who 
choose to engage in trafficking that their illegal operations will not be 
tolerated."

Also involved in the lengthy probe were the FBI, the U.S. Marshal's 
Service, the U.S. Customs Service, the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization 
Service, the Internal Revenue Service, the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco 
and Firearms, the U.S. Coast Guard and Puerto Rican police.

The DEA undercover investigation began in October 1999 after agents said 
Miguel O'Connor-Colon, 30, who is known as "Chupa Cabra" (or "evil goat"), 
had taken control of a notorious drug-distribution center in Barriada 
Ferran, Puerto Rico. He took over the operation after Tomas Arroyo-Colon 
was arrested on drug-trafficking charges.

Michael S. Vigil, head of the DEA office in San Juan, said the 
O'Connor-Colon gang "caught the eye" of agents because of the tremendous 
profits it was generating at numerous distribution points on the island and 
because of the "blatant level of violence" associated with the gang, 
including the assassination of rival gang members in public executions.

More than 30 killings have been attributed to the O'Connor-Colon 
organization over the past 12 months as a direct result of the battle over 
territory, Mr. Vigil said.

"There is no doubt this was the most violent organization we have seen in 
Puerto Rico over the past 10 years and the arrests will mean a significant 
drop in both the distribution of drugs and in the level of violence," said 
Mr. Vigil. "They were not afraid to machine-gun people in public places, 
shooting some of their victims as many as 100 times, and many in the 
community did not feel safe."

Until Thursday's arrests, Mr. Vigil said the O'Connor-Colon organization 
was known to supply approximately 20 drug-distribution points around the 
south-central area of Puerto Rico. The organization maintained control of 
the drug centers through its open use of violence.

He said cocaine and heroin were shipped into Puerto Rico from Colombia via 
twin-engine aircraft that conducted air drops over international waters to 
waiting high-speed boats. The cocaine arrived in Puerto Rico either 
directly from Colombia or through the Dominican Republic.

Mr. Vigil said each of the 20 drug-distribution centers produced daily drug 
sales of between $20,000 and $50,000 and that 40 percent of the drugs were 
being sold to buyers in Puerto Rico. The other 60 percent, he said, was 
shipped via airplane to several major U.S. cities, including Boston, New 
York, Chicago and Miami.

He said no one was injured during the arrests, although the two sons of 
Angela Ayala, arrested by the DEA in 1997 on smuggling charges and now 
serving a life sentence, briefly fought with officers. Brian Lee 
Perez-Ayala, 20, and Danny Perez-Ayala, 21, were top officers in the 
O'Connor-Colon organization, he said.

"We will respond above and beyond the call of duty to rid Puerto Rico of 
drug trafficking and related violence," said Mr. Vigil. "Its citizens are 
deserving of this tireless effort."
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