:format(jpeg):focal(839x561:849x551)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gfrmedia/QYJ6TCVBDFFJHA75NBJWJP4GLQ.JPG "Son of Prominent Businessman Arrested for Drug Trafficking")
Homeland Security Agents Arrest Francisco “Furiel” Ramos Domínguez on Drug Trafficking Charges
September 12, 2022
SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO – In a crackdown on drug trafficking organizations, agents from the Homeland Security Investigations Office (HSI) apprehended Francisco “Furiel” Ramos Domínguez, son of well-known businessman Francisco “Furiel” Ramos. The arrest took place on Monday, following an indictment by a Grand Jury on September 6. Ramos Domínguez is accused of conspiring to possess and distribute controlled substances.
Joining Ramos Domínguez in the charges were two other individuals, Coral Rivera-Mercado and Robeletti Ramos-Pagan. According to the indictment, the trio allegedly conspired to possess and distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine. The arrests were made on Monday, September 11.
HSI Special Agent in Charge Rebecca González Ramos emphasized the agency’s commitment to dismantling drug trafficking organizations. She stated, “We will remain vigilant and committed to deter and dismantle drug trafficking organizations that seek to enrich themselves by endangering the lives of others.”
If convicted, the defendants could face a minimum sentence of 10 years. The case is being prosecuted by Deputy Assistant United States Attorney of the Gang Section, Teresa Zapata-Valladares; Special Assistant Prosecutor R. Vance Eaton; Assistant United States Attorney Hector Siaca of the Gangas Section; and Assistant United States Attorney Jorge L. Matos of the Transnational Organized Crime Section.
The investigation is part of the Airport Investigations Tactical Team (AirTAT), an initiative of the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). AirTAT comprises multiple federal and state agencies, including HSI, Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), United States Postal Inspection Service (USPS), the Puerto Rico Police Bureau (NPPR), the Puerto Rico Ports Authority (APPR), and the San Juan Municipal Police.
Explaining the necessity of operations like AirTAT, González Ramos stated, “Illicit drugs that cause deaths are produced outside the United States and trafficked across our borders. Commercial airlines have been exploited by Drug Trafficking Organizations (DTO’s) for the transportation of narcotics. The AirTAT is responsible for safeguarding Puerto Rico’s airports. These arrests are the result of a robust operation led by AirTAT at the Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport.”
The ongoing effort to combat organized crime includes the creation of permanent operational teams that consist of various agencies working together. The co-location model allows agents from different organizations to collaborate in multi-jurisdictional operations aimed at disrupting and dismantling major drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations.
AirTAT’s mission specifically focuses on identifying, disrupting, and dismantling large-scale international drug trafficking and money laundering organizations that impact the local airports in Puerto Rico.
The arrest of Francisco “Furiel” Ramos Domínguez emphasizes the continued efforts of law enforcement agencies to combat drug trafficking and keep communities safe. The case serves as a reminder that no individual, regardless of their societal status, is above the law.