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On July 7, 2025, Emanuel Rodriguez Rodriguez, 34, of Puerto Rico, was sentenced to 121 months in federal prison and five years of supervised release for his role in a maritime drug trafficking operation involving 25 kilograms of cocaine transported via jet skis between Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
🚨 Details of the Operation
- On December 11, 2021, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Air and Marine Operations (AMO) detected four jet skis traveling from Culebra, PR to St. Thomas, USVI.
- The jet skis landed at Mermaid’s Chair beach, where duffle bags were loaded by individuals waiting onshore.
- AMO agents observed a red Jeep Wrangler parked above the beach during the exchange.
🛑 Pursuit and Arrests
- AMO vessels pursued the jet skis back toward Culebra.
- One operator abandoned his ski and fled, leaving behind a duffle bag containing 26 packages of cocaine.
- The remaining three operators were apprehended.
- DEA, CBP, and Homeland Security Investigations agents intercepted the red Jeep at Botany Bay Preserve, detaining Rodriguez and five others.
- Two Glock pistols—one unserialized—were recovered from the vehicle.
🧠Investigation and Prosecution
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Payne and investigated by a multi-agency task force including CBP-AMO, DEA, HSI, FBI, and the Virgin Islands Police Department. The operation was part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) program, which targets high-level criminal networks through coordinated, intelligence-driven efforts.
You can read the full press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Let me know if you’d like a version tailored for broadcast or legal brief.
