ST. THOMAS — Two men are facing federal drug trafficking charges after their vessel was intercepted by Customs and Border Protection Air And Marine Operations agents.
According to court documents, the boat was spotted traveling without lights on October 6, approximately one mile northwest of Savana Island, St. Thomas. Officials tracked the vessel until it approached the Puerto Rican island of Culebra, where they attempted to intercept it.
The two men on board, identified as Luis Manuel Perez Lopez and Anli Jiminez Rodriguez, failed to heed the signal to heave to, and a pursuit reportedly ensued, with the vessel undertaking evasive maneuvers. As they fled, the two men reportedly began tossing bags overboard. Two of the jettisoned packages were recovered by CBP officers. The chase continued, with the men ignoring warning shots, until the AMO agents fired into the vessel’s engine, disabling it.
One of the bags Perez Lopez and Jiminez Rodriguez tried to throw overboard reportedly got caught on a cleat at the rear of the boat, spilling its contents – several bricks of a substance that field tested positive for cocaine – into the sea. Altogether, 59 bricks were recovered, each weighing approximately one kilogram.
Perez Lopez reportedly admitted to picking up the backs from St. Thomas before heading out to sea.
The two men were charged with possession with intent to distribute cocaine, while Perez Lopez, as captain of the vessel, was additionally charged with failure to heave to. They appeared before U.S. Magistrate Alan Teague on Tuesday, who, in the face of consent from the defendant, ordered that Jiminez Rodriguez be held in detention while awaiting trial. Judge Teague has not yet decided on Perez Lopez's status, while prosecutors have requested that both men be detained, citing an increased flight risk and other concerns. A detention hearing is scheduled for Wednesday.
