Colombian national Jorge Hernan Gonzalez-Ortiz, 49, has been sentenced to more than 13 years in federal prison for his involvement in a large-scale drug trafficking operation aimed at transporting significant amounts of cocaine into the United States. Gonzalez-Ortiz pleaded guilty on January 14 and was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kathryn K. Mizelle, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
According to the plea agreement, between 2016 and 2023, Gonzalez-Ortiz led a Colombian drug cartel that used commercial flights and maritime routes to smuggle cocaine. During this period, up to 27 flights were used to transport at least 43,000 kilograms of cocaine, with an estimated value of $1.3 billion. The drugs, concealed in boxes of fruit, were shipped from Alfonso Bonilla Aragón International Airport in Cali to San Andrés Island, Colombia, and then transported by boat to Central America, overland to Mexico, and ultimately into the United States.
Gonzalez-Ortiz’s operation involved assistance from within law enforcement and airport personnel. At least 20 Colombian police officers were implicated in helping move cocaine out of San Andrés Island airport, protecting the cartel’s activities. Additionally, a Cali airport security supervisor was reported to have redirected cameras away from the smuggling area, while other airport staff tampered with cargo manifests. Ground personnel at both departure and arrival points were also involved in handling the contraband.
On July 29, 2023, Colombian National Police intercepted a major shipment of 1,310 kilograms of cocaine from Gonzalez-Ortiz’s organization upon its arrival in San Andrés Island. This seizure was part of broader enforcement efforts led by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative. The Panama Express Strike Force, under the OCDETF, focuses on dismantling transnational criminal organizations involved in drug trafficking and money laundering. The strike force brings together agents from multiple U.S. agencies to coordinate actions against these networks.
Gonzalez-Ortiz’s prosecution involved international cooperation, with support from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, Colombia’s Dirección de Antinarcóticos (DIRAN), and the Colombian Equipo de Trabajo Investigativo Control Aeronaves (ETICA). Assistant United States Attorney David J. Pardo led the case.
