BOSTON – An Italian national pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston in connection with trafficking cocaine on board maritime vessels.

Gabriele Biondo, a/k/a El Italiano, 43, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine on board a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States and one count of possession with intent to distribute and distribution of five kilograms or more of cocaine on board a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. Biondo is an Italian national who was extradited from Spain and made an initial appearance in federal court in Boston on Feb. 21, 2019.

Since at least as early as 2013, Biondo and several co-conspirators were involved in an operation that trafficked Colombian cocaine by boat via Venezuela to Spain, Puerto Rico, and other locations. Co-defendant Henry Carrillo Ramirez sourced the cocaine in Catatumbo, Colombia, and arranged for the drugs to be transported to Puerto La Cruz, Venezuela. Thereafter, based upon an agreed-upon date, time, sea coordinates, and a code word, small boats carrying the cocaine would meet a fishing vessel located offshore allegedly arranged by Carrillo Ramirez. The boats provided the code word, and then the drugs were transferred to the fishing vessel for transport to Europe.

In June 2014, the drug trafficking organization successfully orchestrated the delivery of 1,200 kilograms of cocaine to Spain. In particular, Carrillo Ramirez allegedly met with an associate of Biondo to plan the shipment, and Biondo arranged for sailboats to smuggle the cocaine to Spain. Initially, the cocaine was delivered to a stash house on Isla Margarita. Once received on Isla Margarita, the cocaine was divided into two shipments, one consisting of 800 kilograms and the other consisting of 400 kilograms. In June 2014, the first sailboat departed from Grenada to the designated coordinates to receive the first 800 kilograms of cocaine bound for Spain. The transportation cost for this shipment was $640,000. One day later, the second shipment of 400 kilograms of cocaine departed. Both shipments arrived in Spain.

Two months later, the drug trafficking organization arranged for the delivery of another shipment to Spain. In particular, in August 2014, Colombian National Police intercepted communications regarding a shipment of cocaine from South America to Europe. Biondo identified customers in Spain and arranged for them to receive the cocaine shipment. Biondo tracked the load and learned that the cocaine shipment had department from Venezuela. On Aug. 25, 2014, an international law enforcement operation located the vessel shipping the drugs. The Spanish Guardia Civil boarded the vessel in international waters and seized 960 kilos of cocaine.

In December 2014, Biondo and his co-conspirators arranged to send another shipment of 800 kilograms of cocaine to Spain. Biondo again identified customers in Spain and arranged for them to receive the cocaine shipment. On Dec. 30, 2014, the Spanish Guardia Civil boarded another vessel in international waters and seized an additional 728 kilos of cocaine.

In all, law enforcement seized approximately 1,688 kilograms of cocaine from the drug trafficking organization.

Biondo is the second defendant to plead guilty in this case. Charges remain pending against two co-defendants, and another co-defendant remains a fugitive.

The conspiracy and distribution charges each provide for a sentence of no greater than life in prison, a life term of supervised release and a $10 million fine. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division, made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston, the United States Coast Guard, the Colombian National Police, the Spanish Guardia Civil, the Spanish National Police, and the Portuguese Air Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Linda Ricci, Chief of Lelling’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit, is prosecuting the case.

The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.