Two men are set to navigate the treacherous waters of the federal court system after their plan to smuggle a significant amount of cocaine was capsized by the U.S. Coast Guard, according to officials. Jeffry Dominguez, 34, the owner of the vessel, and his captain, Luis Antonio Garcia Rosario, 37, have been indicted on drug trafficking charges amid allegations of attempting to transport 742 kilograms of cocaine from the Dominican Republic to Miami.
Authorities detained the suspects and seized the drugs after intercepting the 44-foot boat as it entered U.S. waters on August 29. During a thorough search, Coast Guard officials discovered a hidden compartment containing 741 packages of cocaine, each package weighing in at around a kilo. This discovery led to the arraignment of Dominguez and Garcia Rosario, as reported by WSVN.
The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida has charged the duo with possession with intent to distribute cocaine and conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine. Detailed in court documents, the DEA and Broward Sheriff's Office outlined the accused’s activities between August 24 and 28 which culminated in their arrest on September 26 after an investigation, as per information obtained by NBC Miami.
Both Dominguez and Garcia Rosario, if convicted, are staring down a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. Adding to Garcia Rosario’s potential consequences is the possibility of removal from the United States, given his status as a Dominican national.
