United States Attorney A. Brian Albritton

Middle District of Florida

Tampa Ocala Orlando Jacksonville Fort Myers

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: STEVE COLE

December 11, 2008 PHONE: (813) 274-6136

http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/flm/pr FAX: (813) 274-6300

DRUG TRAFFICKERS EXTRADITED FROM PERU

        Tampa, Florida - United States Attorney A. Brian Albritton announced the arrest and extradition of Carlos Perlaza-Mosquera, age 59, of Colombia; Gustavo Temoche-Pingo, age 46, of Peru; and William Abad-Saavedra, age 35, of Peru to face federal drug charges in the United States. The defendants were brought to the Middle District of Florida from Peru early this morning. They are expected to make their initial court appearances this afternoon in United States District Court in Tampa. Their charges carry a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of ten years, and a maximum term of life imprisonment.

According to court documents, from 2005 through 2007, the defendants organized and provided logistical support to vessels smuggling multi-ton loads of cocaine in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. Their organization built and launched go-fast vessels carrying cocaine eventually destined for the United States. They also operated a fleet of Peruvianflagged fishing vessels, which were used to provide fuel and provisions to those go-fast vessels.

The defendants were arrested by Peruvian law enforcement officers, with the assistance of U.S. law enforcement agents (see chart). Other co-defendants, Carlos Asprilla-Jaen and Nelson Rubiel Canar Valencia, are currently in custody in Colombia.

They were arrested on April 23, 2008, by Colombian authorities. Their extradition to the United States is pending.

Defendant Arrest Date Arrest Location

Carlos Perlaza-Mosquera February 27, 2008 Talara , Peru

Gustavo Temoche Pingo March 13, 2008 Paita, Peru

William Abad Saavedra March 20, 2008 Piura, Peru

This investigation is being conducted by the Panama Express Strike Force, which includes the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Southern Command's Joint Interagency Task Force South, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, and the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher F. Murray.

An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of a federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.