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A suburban man faces federal drug trafficking fees after DEA brokers seized about 99 kilos of cocaine that prosecutors say was saved and distributed out of a Chicago produce warehouse.
In keeping with a federal criticism filed this week, brokers have been investigating a drug trafficking and cash laundering operation tied to a produce warehouse within the 2400 block of South Damen Avenue, the place legislation enforcement officers have seized “multi-kilogram portions of cocaine” sometimes saved inside white cardboard bins labeled “Chile Kind.”
The criticism stated the bins contained one-kilogram bricks of cocaine marked with agricultural gear logos, together with John Deere branding.
Shortly after midnight on Monday, January 19, brokers arrange surveillance close to the Damen Avenue warehouse. About three hours later, a maroon 2007 GMC Acadia pulled as much as a loading ramp on the northeast aspect of the constructing and Jose Luis Garcia Vazquez stepped out of the SUV and entered the warehouse, the criticism stated. Moments later, he allegedly emerged carrying a heavy field, which he loaded into the SUV earlier than driving away.
Investigators adopted the automobile to a gasoline station after which to Garcia Vazquez’s residence in Justice, the criticism stated. When officers approached Garcia Vazquez at his residence, he was carrying a white cardboard field labeled “Chile Kind” and a narcotics detection canine “alerted” to the field, based on the criticism.
A search of the SUV allegedly revealed a second field containing brick-shaped packages of a white powdery substance. Every field contained roughly 20 kilo-sized bricks of suspected cocaine wrapped in John Deere packaging, based on the criticism. A kilo is 2.2 kilos.
Garcia Vazquez additionally consented to a search of his basement residence, the place brokers say they discovered 5 extra brick-shaped packages of suspected cocaine hid between the partitions of a utility room. 4 of the bricks allegedly bore John Deere logos, whereas a fifth displayed a Caterpillar emblem.
In a post-arrest interview carried out in Spanish, Garcia Vazquez allegedly admitted that he agreed to select up and ship cocaine for a person he met by means of an acquaintance in Mexico. Prosecutors say he informed brokers he had accomplished comparable deliveries about 3 times earlier than and was paid roughly $200 per field.
He’s charged with possession with intent to distribute 5 kilograms or extra of cocaine.
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