A Honduran citizen, Carlos Humberto Henríquez Gómez, has been sentenced to over 18 years in prison for his involvement in an international drug trafficking operation that transported more than 1.3 tons of cocaine from Venezuela to Belize, ultimately destined for the United States. This case directly exposes the connections between Venezuela and transnational cartel networks operating in Central America and the Caribbean.
Sentencing of Carlos Humberto Henríquez Gómez
Henríquez Gómez, 57, and a resident of San Pedro Sula, Honduras, was identified as a member of a transnational criminal network that utilized a U.S. registered aircraft to transport cocaine from Venezuela.
In August 2025, the Washington D.C. court imposed a sentence of 18 years and 4 months in prison.
Cocaine from Venezuela to Belize
The operation began in Venezuela, a country that in recent years has consolidated as a strategic exit point for cocaine towards the Caribbean and Central America, under the control of organizations with military and political links.
Use of Aircraft and Illegal Airstrip
In 2018, Henríquez Gómez traveled to Belize to inspect an illegal airstrip to receive drug-laden aircraft. In 2019, he returned to prepare the ground and coordinate the landing of a plane coming from Venezuela.
The aircraft was intercepted, and authorities seized over 1,300 kg of cocaine before it entered distribution routes to the U.S.
International Coordination Against Organized Crime
The case was investigated by the DEA (Orlando Office), with support from the Anti-Narcotics Unit of the Belize Police, the DEA in Belize, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and the U.S. Marshals Service.
The action was part of Operation Take Back America, a federal program aimed at dismantling cartels and international trafficking networks before drugs enter the United States.
The Role of Venezuela in Drug Trafficking Routes
Venezuela has been identified by various investigations as the operational base of the Cartel of the Suns, a network composed of high-ranking military officials and state functionaries that facilitate cocaine trafficking.
The use of illegal airstrips in rural areas and aircraft registered in third countries allows criminal organizations to move multimillion-dollar shipments, minimizing exposure at official checkpoints.
Connections with International Cartels
Venezuelan routes to Belize and Honduras feed the U.S. market, primarily through alliances with Mexican and Central American cartels.
The operation dismantled in this case demonstrates how multinational networks coordinate transport, unloading, and distribution, sharing benefits and logistics.
Determinations of the Department of Justice
Effective international cooperation: The collaborative effort of U.S., Belizean, and Honduran agencies prevented over a ton of cocaine from reaching the market.
Regional risk: Venezuela remains a critical point in cocaine trafficking towards the Caribbean and North America.
Need for multilateral strategies: Combating drug trafficking requires shared intelligence, tracking technology, and diplomatic pressure on countries facilitating these routes.