Jaison Dávila Amador, a Colombian, was recently sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for his role in an international cocaine smuggling ring. Dávila and his accomplices managed a complex operation that trafficked millions of dollars' worth of cocaine from Colombia, through Mexico, to distribute in the United States, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Central District of California.
The operation involved secret Colombian airstrips from which a Mexican aircraft transported bulk quantities of cocaine. Bribery of corrupt air traffic controllers and law enforcement officials was used to facilitate uninterrupted activity. The operation was functional between at least 2017 and May 2019.
Two attempted cocaine shipments, flown from Colombia, occurred during the operation's reported timeline. Tragic circumstances arose in spring 2017, when one flight carrying approximately 480 kilograms (1,058 pounds) of cocaine crashed in Central America, resulting in fatalities.
Later in the year, November 5, 2017, Colombian air force intercepted an aircraft from Mexico, forcing it to the ground. An estimated 515 kilograms (1,135 pounds) of cocaine was found at the crash site and nearby at a secret airstrip. The operation, under Dávila's leadership, allegedly smuggled nearly $30 million worth of cocaine into the United States.
Dávila, the ringleader, was responsible for coordinating bribe payments, financing cocaine shipments, and providing logistical support for aircraft transportation from Colombia to Mexico. Prosecutors indicated in a sentencing memo that Dávila's repeated actions, even following the pilot fatalities, demonstrated his determined involvement in the conspiracy.
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) worked in collaboration with Colombia National Police's Dirección de Investigación Criminal e Interpol (DIJIN) and Colombia's Fiscalía General de La Nación in investigating this case. Their cumulative efforts resulted in 13 defendants being arrested, extradited to the United States, and pleading guilty to participation in the conspiracy.
