Police in Puerto Rico arrested 17 people yesterday accused of ties to the island's most notorious drug trafficker, Jose Figueroa Capsula, alias "Junior Capsula," who was arrested last July.
Among those arrested Monday Figueroa's brother, Jorge Luis Figueroa Agosto, alias "El Viejo." He was detained after boarding boarding a cruise ship with his family, just before docking in the Virgin Islands.
Vocero reported that the 17 captives are accused of helping Junior Capsula run his international drug trafficking ring. Capsula was an infamous outlaw in Puerto Rico before he was arrested July 17. The FBI Head in Puerto Rico called him the biggest trafficker in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic of the last 20 years. Jorge Luis is less notorious and worked in a body shop outside of San Juan, reported the AP.
Junior Capsula was said to smuggle cocaine in speedboats from the Dominican Republic into Puerto Rico. Taking refuge in the Dominican Republic, he allegedly shipped between 300 and 1,500 kilos of cocaine every month between 2005 and 2010. However, he is currently not facing drug trafficking charges in Puerto Rico, El Vocero reports. Instead he is being held in prison charged with trying to use a fake passport to leave the country.
Vocero also reported Tuesday that five Dominicans linked to Junior Capsula, including his girlfriend, will be extradited to the United States to stand trial.