Marcos Daniel Jiménez, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida; Jesus Torres, Interim Special Agent in Charge, United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE); and Thomas W. Raffanello, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Miami Field Office, announced today that a four-count indictment was unsealed in the Southern District of Florida charging Miguel Rodriguez-Orejuela, Gilberto Rodriguez-Orejuela, William Rodriguez-Abadia, Luis Eduardo Cuartas-Pardo, Guillermo Restrepo Lara, Heriberto Patino-Rios, Luis Ocampo-Fominque, German Navarro, Daniel Serrano, Harold Velez-Restrepo, and Luis Evelio Lopez, with conspiracy to import cocaine, and conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine. Additionally, Miguel Rodriguez-Orejuela, Gilberto Rodriguez-Orejuela, William Rodriguez-Abadia, Luis Eduardo Cuartas-Pardo, German Navarro, Daniel Serrano, and Harold Velez-Restrepo are charged with conspiracy to launder money. Miguel Rodriguez-Orejuela, Gilberto Rodriguez-Orejuela, William Rodriguez-Abadia, Guillermo Restrepo Lara, German Navarro, and Daniel Serrano are charged with conspiracy to obstruct justice. Miguel Rodriguez-Orejuela and his brother, Gilberto Rodriguez-Orejuela, are the leaders and founders of the Cali Cartel. They are currently incarcerated in Colombia.

The 12-year conspiracy encompasses one of the largest narcotics and money laundering organizations ever prosecuted in the United States. The amount of cocaine imported and distributed in the United States, the amount of money laundered, and the violence associated with the various members of the Cartel, make the Cali Cartel one of the prolific and violent organizations ever prosecuted in the United States.

The indictment charges that from 1990 until July 2002, the defendants conspired to import cocaine into the United States, and conspired to possess with intent to distribute cocaine. The Defendants imported and distributed cocaine hidden within concrete posts, frozen vegetables, lumber, ceramic tile, coffee, and chlorine cylinders. In addition to transporting multi-ton quantities of cocaine into and within the United States, the Defendants laundered hundreds of millions of dollars. Additionally, various defendants were involved in a conspiracy to obstruct justice. The defendants would silence other members of the Cartel, and thereby prevent them from cooperating in the investigation through violence and bribes. Cartel members were aware that if they cooperated with law enforcement authorities, the Cartel would retaliate by killing the cooperator and his family. As alleged in the indictment, Miguel Rodriguez-Orejuela, Gilberto Rodriguez-Orejuela, William Rodriguez-Abadia, Guillermo Restrepo Lara, German Navarro, and Daniel Serrano would intimidate witnesses by ordering the killing of witnesses and potential witnesses with the intent to cause those witnesses to withhold testimony. They would also pay witnesses for their silence by making prison commissary payments in exchange for their silence. The Defendants made subsistence payments to witnesses and their families in exchange for silence. The Defendants also obstructed justice by paying legal fees for legal representation to witnesses charged with crimes in exchange for silence.

In addition to the four counts of the indictment, the indictment seeks the forfeiture of two billion, one hundred million dollars in United States currency ($2,100,000,000) which represents moneys received in exchange for and used to facilitate the distribution of controlled substances.

The 14-year Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force investigation, called “Operation Cornerstone,” resulted in the seizure of almost 50,000 kilograms of cocaine and $15,000,000 in United States currency. The primary defendants charged in Operation Cornerstone, Miguel Rodriguez-Orejuela and Gilberto Rodriguez-Orejuela, are currently incarcerated in Colombia. While they are in prison, William Rodriguez-Abadia (Miguel’s son) has taken over the day-to-day operations of the Cartel, which is still involved in narcotics trafficking and other criminal activity.

Prior to the instant indictment, almost 100 other defendants, including some of the Defendants’ criminal defense attorneys, were successfully prosecuted during the course of this investigation. Operation Cornerstone was the combined effort of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), as well as Colombian law enforcement officials.

Earlier today, ICE and DEA agents made arrests in Colombia of various defendants charged in this indictment.

Attorney General John Ashcroft said, “Today's charges underscore our commitment to bring to justice those who threaten our security and well-being by sending illegal drugs into our country, laundering money gained from this activity and by attempting to obstruct justice in the most heinous ways. However long it takes, wherever it takes us, we have a duty to dismantle these drug organizations piece by piece and member by member. We thank and congratulate our brave partners in Colombia, without whose continued efforts successes such as today’s arrests would not be possible.”

Mr. Jiménez stated, “This indictment is the culmination of a long-term and detailed investigation of narcotics trafficking at the very highest levels in the world. These individuals are charged with trafficking thousands of tons of cocaine, generating billions of dollars of profits and protecting that illicit trade through the obstruction of justice. We will continue to seek out organizers and other major narco-trafficking targets no matter where they are or how long it takes to bring them to justice.”

"Narco-traffickers present clear and obvious threats to homeland security, importing drugs and violence to American streets. This multi-year investigation sends a clear message: ICE agents will go after you anywhere in the world. Prison is no safe haven. I am extremely proud of the ICE agents who worked tirelessly on this case with their domestic and Colombian law enforcement partners. For more than a decade, they have fully devoted themselves to dismantling one of the world's largest and most sophisticated criminal organizations," said ICE Assistant Secretary Michael J. Garcia.

Mr. Raffanello said, “We have learned over the years that persistence is the key ingredient in bringing drug kingpins to justice. The indictment of these Cali Cartel leaders, who were responsible for the destruction of thousands of lives worldwide, makes all the sacrifice worthwhile. The strong alliance of the United States and Colombian law enforcement sends a chilling message to major drug trafficking organizations in Colombia and throughout the world. We will tirelessly pursue other trafficking organizations throughout the world, as well as their ill-gotten profits.”

Mr. Jiménez commended the investigative efforts of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Laurence Bardfeld.