August 2000

OPERATION JOURNEY

On August 26, 2000, the DEA, the U.S. Customs Service, and the Joint Interagency Task Force-East (JIATF-East) concluded "Operation Journey." This was a two-year, multi-national initiative against a Colombian drug transportation organization that used commercial vessels to haul multi-ton loads of cocaine to 12 countries, most of them in North America and Europe.

The investigation, which involved authorities from 12 nations and three continents, resulted in the arrest of 40 individuals, including the alleged leader of the maritime drug transportation organization, Ivan De La Vega, and several of his subordinates. Since its inception, Operation Journey has resulted in the seizure of more than 16 tons of cocaine from this Colombian organization. The location of these seizures ranged from the Netherlands to Venezuela. The operation also resulted in the seizure of commercial shipping vessels, go-fast vessels, and communications equipment.

The operation began as separate investigations by the DEA Office in Athens, Greece, and the U.S. Customs Service Special Agent-in-Charge office in Houston, together with significant input from European law enforcement agencies and JIATF-East. Over time, numerous domestic and international agencies joined the operation. Eventually, all merged their cases into a single probe. Prosecutors from the Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section of the U.S. Justice Department's Criminal Division were brought in to provide key legal guidance. The Justice Department coordinated with the U.S. Customs Service, the DEA, and other nations to develop the prosecution strategy used to dismantle this organization.

Foreign authorities played critical roles in Operation Journey. The operation would not have been possible without the efforts of law enforcement agencies from Great Britain, Venezuela, Colombia, the Netherlands, Greece, Italy, Albania, Panama, Belgium, Spain, and France.

As part of Operation Journey, 4,000 kilograms of cocaine were seized from the Castor, a commercial cargo vessel.

The organization targeted by Operation Journey served as a one-stop shipping service for Colombian cartels interested in moving cocaine via maritime vessels to U.S. and European markets. Based in Colombia and Venezuela, the organization used a fleet of 8-to-10 commercial freighters capable of hauling huge loads of cocaine anywhere in the world. Some of these ships were owned outright by this organization while others were owned by entities in Greece and other nations.

Typically, the cocaine was transported from Colombia via land or air to the Orinoco River delta on Venezuela's northeast coast. Upon arrival, the cocaine was stashed by the organization in remote jungle hideouts. From these camps, go-fast boats hauled the cocaine to commercial ships stationed offshore. Once on-board, the cocaine was often concealed in secret compartments constructed for smuggling purposes. Upon reaching its intended destination, the cocaine was then off-loaded to waiting go-fast boats or other vessels and ferried ashore to locations in Europe and the United States.

Investigators from around the globe ultimately penetrated the highest levels of the transportation organization. Customs agents developed key sources in Venezuela and Colombia, while the DEA developed key sources in Europe. Investigators gained information about cocaine shipments leaving for Europe and other locations and passed this information to foreign and domestic authorities, enabling them to make arrests and seizures.