Vicente Esteves, 35, and his wife, Chantal, 30, masterminded a cocaine smuggling ring from their fortress-like home and amassed a wealth of luxury goods that included dozens of pairs of Prada shoes and around 100 Rolex watches. The two were arrested on conspiracy and money laundering charges after a 14-month investigation, federal and county officials said. The $1 million (£500,000)-a-week operation used commercial airline flights to move drugs from Mexico and Colombia into the United States and to send millions of dollars back, investigators said.
The proceeds were then allegedly laundered through two real estate companies run by Esteves that had no legitimate business. Authorities described the opulent lifestyle the couple led behind the gates of their home in New Jersey. The couple "attempted to hide behind the beauty of suburbia," said Gerard McAleer, special agent in charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration's New Jersey office. "It's like something out of the movie 'Scarface'," he said referring to the 1983 movie in which Al Pacino and Michelle Pfeiffer play a Cuban drug dealer and his wife living a life of luxury.
"They had walk-in closets where there were 100 pairs of Prada shoes, still in the boxes. There were so many they had Polaroid photos taped to the boxes to keep track of them. "There were also 100 Rolex watches," Agent McAleer said. "I'm not sure Donald Trump has 100 Rolex watches. That's the kind of money that was being made."
Seven people have been arrested so far including one suspect who was found carrying $100,000 (£50,000) in cash as he attempted to board a commercial flight from Newark to Miami, authorities said. Authorities also seized 150 pounds of cocaine with a street value of $2 million (£1 million), plus $2 million (£1 million) in cash.
Read more...
