Erick Randhiel Mosquea Polanco faces cocaine trafficking cases in Puerto Rico and New Jersey, along with a federal money laundering charge
WASHINGTON — A man accused by U.S. authorities of leading a major drug trafficking organization based in the Dominican Republic has been extradited from Colombia to the United States, where he faces multiple federal charges involving cocaine distribution, international smuggling and money laundering.
The Justice Department announced Thursday that Erick Randhiel Mosquea Polanco, 45, also known as “Ramon” and “E,” was extradited to Puerto Rico on August 26. He made his first court appearance there Thursday and is expected to appear later in federal court in New Jersey.
The extradition is part of the federal government’s Homeland Security Task Force initiative targeting international criminal organizations operating in the United States and abroad.
Authorities Allege International Cocaine Network
Federal prosecutors accuse Mosquea Polanco of heading an organization that moved cocaine through an international network extending across Colombia, Venezuela, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and the continental United States.
According to the Justice Department, investigators allege the organization distributed more than 1,000 kilograms of cocaine in New Jersey, New York and other locations between January 2020 and September 2023. Authorities also accuse Mosquea Polanco of coordinating the movement of millions of dollars in alleged drug proceeds to the Dominican Republic and elsewhere.
During the investigation, law enforcement authorities seized dozens of kilograms of cocaine and more than $6 million in suspected narcotics proceeds, the Justice Department said. Several other people associated with the alleged organization have already been convicted.
Attorney General Todd Blanche said the investigation demonstrates the government’s ability to pursue suspected leaders of international trafficking organizations beyond U.S. borders.
Charges Stretch Back More Than a Decade
Mosquea Polanco faces separate federal cases in Puerto Rico and New Jersey.
A Puerto Rico indictment filed in 2016 alleges that he and others participated in a cocaine importation conspiracy dating back to at least January 2013. He is also charged with conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute cocaine.
A second Puerto Rico indictment, filed in 2022, accuses him of participating in conspiracies involving cocaine originating outside the United States, including from the Dominican Republic, Venezuela and Colombia.
In New Jersey, a three-count superseding indictment charges Mosquea Polanco with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute at least five kilograms of cocaine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Arrested in Colombia
Mosquea Polanco was arrested in Colombia in December 2024 at the request of U.S. authorities.
Federal officials allege that he had previously left the Dominican Republic using fraudulent documents. American and international law enforcement agencies subsequently worked to locate him and secure his extradition.
The DEA designated Mosquea Polanco a Regional Priority Organizational Target, a classification used for individuals considered significant targets in major drug trafficking investigations.
The investigations have involved the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations and FBI, along with the U.S. Marshals Service and Justice Department officials in Bogotá. Colombian authorities and the Colombian National Police also assisted with his arrest and extradition.
Potential Life Sentence if Convicted
The federal drug trafficking counts carry substantial penalties.
If convicted, Mosquea Polanco faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and as much as life imprisonment on each drug trafficking count, as well as fines of up to $10 million per count.
The money laundering conspiracy charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison and substantial financial penalties. Any sentence would ultimately be determined by a federal judge under U.S. sentencing laws and guidelines.
The prosecutions are being handled separately by federal prosecutors in Puerto Rico and New Jersey.
Mosquea Polanco has been charged but has not been convicted of these allegations. Under U.S. law, an indictment represents an accusation, and he is presumed innocent unless prosecutors prove the charges beyond a reasonable doubt in court.
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Read the U.S. Department of Justice announcement
