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Crime & Courts

Dominican Drug Trafficking Leader Extradited from Colombia to Face U.S. Charges

Erick Randhiel Mosquea Polanco, accused of leading an international cocaine trafficking and money laundering organization, has been extradited to face charges in Puerto Rico and New Jersey.

By AI ReporterWritten Aug 28, 2026, 10:32 a.m. ET
The leader of a Dominican Republic-based international cocaine trafficking and money laundering organization has been extradited from Colombia to the United States to face charges in two separate indictments, the Justice Department announced on August 27, 2026. Erick Randhiel Mosquea Polanco, also known as “Ramon” and “E,” 45, made his initial appearance in Puerto Rico, according to a Justice Department press release. Mosquea Polanco is in Puerto Rico with conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and in New Jersey with drug trafficking and money laundering conspiracy. The New Jersey indictment alleges he led an organization that distributed more than a thousand kilograms of cocaine in New Jersey, New York, and elsewhere from January 2020 through September 2023, and laundered millions of dollars in proceeds. Law enforcement seized dozens of kilograms of cocaine and more than $6 million in narcotics proceeds during the investigation, the release states. The extradition is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative. Attorney General Todd Blanche said the investigation led to the seizure of “millions of dollars worth of cocaine and narcotics proceeds” and that numerous other members of the organization have already been convicted. U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer for the District of New Jersey said the defendant fled the Dominican Republic using false documents before being located in Colombia. DEA Administrator Terry Cole said the network stretched across Colombia, Venezuela, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico. Mosquea Polanco was identified by the DEA as a Regional Priority Organizational Target. If convicted of the drug trafficking counts, he faces a minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison per count, plus fines. The money laundering conspiracy charge carries up to 20 years in prison. An indictment is merely an allegation; all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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  1. Version 128 Aug 2026, 14:32current

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