HSI San Juan announces year-end statistics for FY 2015
Results attributed to combined effort by HSI, DHS partners
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) San Juan announced year-end statistics for fiscal year (FY) 2015 Thursday showing record increases in criminal arrests as well as narcotics, illegal arms and money seizures.
“In spite of the enormous resources of criminal organizations and their continuous efforts to introduce narcotics and illegal arms into Puerto Rico, HSI San Juan and its Department of Homeland Security (DHS) partners remained committed to the public safety of our communities and were able to seize an unprecedented amount of narcotics, thus contributing to the safety of all the citizens of Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands,” said Angel M. Melendez, special agent in charge of HSI San Juan. “Our pledge is that HSI, along with our DHS partners, will continue to work with our local, state and federal partners to continue identifying, investigating and arresting those who pose a threat to our communities and work hard to keep them hostage with their illegal activities. We will not tolerate it and will continue using all our resources and robust investigative authorities in our fight against crime.”
Working jointly with the U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, HSI closed the fiscal year with an unprecedented number of seizures, including 48,572 pounds of narcotics. This represents a 93 percent increase in narcotics seizures compared to 25,041 pounds during the previous fiscal year. HSI and DHS federal agencies seized 27,196 pounds of cocaine, which represents a 47 percent increase compared to 18,466 pounds seized in FY 2014. FY 2015 also showed a surge in heroin seizures with an increase of 170 percent from 39 pounds in FY 2014 to 62 pounds in FY 2015. Likewise, marijuana seizures increased by 170 percent in FY 2015 with 6,369 pounds seized in FY 2014 compared to 17,962 in FY 2015.
During FY 2015, HSI San Juan arrested 1,058 criminals charged with drug trafficking, money laundering, commercial fraud, possession of illegal arms, child exploitation, human trafficking and smuggling, intellectual property rights violations, bulk cash smuggling and violations to import and export laws among other crimes. The year netted 679 gang-related arrests; 182 arrests for drug smuggling; 61 for child exploitation, compared to 36 in FY 2014; 18 for human smuggling, and 81 for financial crimes, making these programs the areas with the largest number of arrests. The agency also seized more than $10.6 million in U.S. currency, 320 illegal arms and 20,515 rounds of ammunition.
HSI encourages the public to report suspected any suspicious activity through its toll-free tip line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or by completing its online tip form. Both are staffed around the clock by investigators. The local number is 787-729-6969 or 1-800-981-3030.
For additional information about wanted suspected child predators, download HSI's Operation Predator smartphone app, now in Spanish, or visit www.ice.gov.
Updated: