By Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon
SDNY COURT, Nov 28 – Venezuelan indicted narco-trafficker Carlos Orense Azocar was presented in Magistrates Court in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York on June 23, 2023 and Inner City Press was (the only media) there.
Orense had just been extradited in from Italy and the indictment against him unsealed.
The case was wheeled out and assigned to District Judge Vernon S. Broderick.
On November 14, Inner City Press covered the final pre-trial conference before Judge Broderick. Thread.
On November 28, Inner City Press at 10 am and later. Thread:
Now cooperator Antonio Arvelaez (in court also said Antonio Arbelaez) takes the stand. Says he trafficked over 100 tons of drugs to the US, most of it with Orense. Also, automatic rifles, he says.
Arvelaez: I pled guilty, in the SDFL court in Miami, as a cooperator. AUSA: Have you been involved in murders? Arvelaez: Yes. [Orense looks back toward his daughter and slowly shakes his head]
AUSA: Were you transfered to other facilities? Arvelaez: "DRJ" in Georgia, and one in Mississippi. Then back to Miami. AUSA: For proffers? Arvelaez: Yes. With the DEA, and ICE.
AUSA: Where did Orense live? Arvelaez: In Caracas, in narcotrafico. I became his driver, then bodyguard. One of about 15. Then I moved into drug transport logistics.
AUSA: Did you pay bribes to government officials? Arvelaez: Yes. AUSA: Who helped in moving the drugs? Arvelaez: Venezuela army and police, and sometimes the FARC. AUSA: Who were Orense's drug partners? Arvelaez: Hugo Caravajal, El Pollo, and Pedro Luis Martin
[Jury is shown GX 102, photo of Martin in blue striped Oxford cloth shirt.... Note: El Pollo's lawyer is here in the courtroom. And another defense lawyer, more on which anon
AUSA: What us this? Arvelaez: A photo of General Hugo Caravajal, El Pollo, head of Venezuela military counter- intelligence. He gave us vehicles and passage through the country
Judge: We'll let the jury go.
Inner City Press will continue to cover the trial.
The case is US v. Azocar, 21-cr-379 (Broderick)
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