Geoffrey S. Berman, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Christopher T. Tersigni, Special Agent in Charge of the Special Operations Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), announced today that former Venezuelan official Hugo Armando Carvajal Barrios, known as “El Pollo,” was arrested today in Madrid, Spain, based on an Interpol Notice related to the charge filed in Indictment 11 Cr. 205 in the Southern District of New York. The indictment charges Carvajal with participating in a conspiracy to import cocaine into the United States, including a shipment of 5.6 tons of cocaine transported from Venezuela to Mexico in April 2006.[1] The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York plans to seek the extradition of Carvajal Barrios from Spain.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman stated: “Hugo Armando Carvajal Barrios, a former high-ranking official of the Venezuelan military intelligence, allegedly conspired with others to traffick over five tons of cocaine into the United States since at least 2006. The arrest of Barrios exemplifies this Office’s determination to bring to justice those who contribute to the global illicit drug trade. Regardless of an individual’s rank or influence, we will continue to pursue and prosecute those who bring deadly drugs into this country in a U.S. court of law.”
Special Agent in Charge Christopher T. Tersigni said: “The arrest today of Hugo Armando Carvajal Barrios is yet another example of the DEA’s commitment to stopping the flow of dangerous illicit drugs into our country. Despite his status as a former Venezuelan government official, Carvajal Barrios is not above the law. The DEA thanks our international partners for their efforts in assisting to bring this drug trafficker to justice.
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Carvajal Barrios, 56, a Venezuelan citizen residing in Venezuela, among other places, is charged with conspiring to import cocaine into the United States. If convicted, Carvajal Barrios faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum life sentence. The possible minimum and maximum mandatory sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentence for the defendant will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Berman praised the outstanding efforts of the Bilateral Investigations Unit of the DEA’s Special Operations Division and the Miami Field Division, Homeland Security Investigations, the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury, and the Office of International Affairs of the U.S. Department of Justice.
This prosecution is being handled by the International Narcotics and Terrorism Unit of the Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emil J. Bove III, Amanda L. Houle, and Matthew J. Laroche, with assistance from Adam Fels of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida.
[1] As indicated by the introductory phrase, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth herein are only allegations, and each fact described should be treated as an allegation.