Reputed Drug Lord, 5 Others Plead Not Guilty
Reputed drug lord Jorge Roca Suarez, three relatives and two alleged cocaine trafficking associates pleaded not guilty Monday to charges brought against them in two massive federal indictments. They were ordered to stand trial Feb. 5.
Drug enforcement authorities have accused Roca, 38, of being the chief supplier of raw materials to Pablo Escobar, a notorious Colombian cocaine kingpin.
The Bolivia-born Roca, who was arrested Dec. 13 at his 19-room home in an exclusive San Marino enclave, entered his plea before U.S. Magistrate Joseph Reichmann. Also appearing were his wife, Cirila; two sisters, Vilma Roca and Beatriz Roca Torres, and associates Antonio Carillo and Emilio Diaz.
All the defendants were returned to custody except Diaz, who is free on bail.
Law enforcement officials allege that Roca replaced his uncle as Bolivia’s biggest drug trafficker, smuggling tons of cocaine into the United States. Roca’s co-defendant, Torres, is accused of sending millions of dollars in cocaine profits from Los Angeles to Bolivia.
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