Former U.S. Official Arrested on Cocaine Smuggling Charges
September 6th, 2009Via: AP:
A former high-ranking US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent who was stationed in Mexico before retiring in 2007 has been arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to smuggle cocaine into the U.S.
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Authorities say Cramer helped a large-scale drug trafficking organisation move cocaine into the United States, according to a criminal complaint made public Friday.
The complaint says that Cramer provided members of a drug smuggling organisation with information from confidential law enforcement databases that told them whether one of their members was a government informant.
The complaint also says Cramer and the smuggling organisation invested about $400,000 in a 300-kilogram shipment of cocaine that was seized in June 2007.
An informant told DEA agents that Cramer had “very powerful friends” among DEA agents in Mexico and a strong relationship with one particular member of the smuggling organisation, according to the complaint.
The complaint also says that during an August 2007 meeting, a member of the smuggling organization convinced Cramer to retire from ICE and begin working directly for the organisation in drug smuggling and money laundering.
The case is being handled by the US Attorney’s Office in Miami, where federal prosecutors say the majority of the acts occurred. Authorities say Cramer will be extradited to Florida.
Research Credit: Lagavulin
If I had an informant in ICE I would leave him there, not transfer him to drug smuggling or money laundering, unless of course I all ready had another informant or two in place with the ICE.
I would think he would have great value in his position with the ICE, why lose that?