Henry Aguirre-Valois, 36, of Colombia, was sentenced to 16 years in federal prison for conspiring to possess with intent to distribute cocaine on a vessel subject to U.S. jurisdiction, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Middle District of Florida announced today.
According to court documents, on November 20, 2023, Aguirre-Valois and three co-defendants smuggled over 2.5 tons of cocaine aboard a self-propelled semi-submersible vessel in the Eastern Pacific Ocean.
These vessels, commonly used by drug traffickers, are specifically designed to transport large quantities of narcotics undetected, according to the department.
The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Waesche intercepted the vessel approximately 170 nautical miles west of Ecuador in international waters, seizing 2,523 kilograms of cocaine with an estimated wholesale value of $75 million, the department states.
Court records also revealed that Aguirre-Valois had a prior conviction in 2019 for trafficking cocaine on a vessel under U.S. jurisdiction. This latest conviction, coupled with his prior criminal activity, contributed to his lengthy prison sentence.