News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 17, 2010
Douglas Collier
Public Information Office
(973) 776-1143

New Jersey Brothers Arrested For Laundering Over $1.5 Million
In Drug Proceeds

JUN 17 -- JOHN G. MCCABE, JR., the Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the New Jersey Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration ("DEA"), joined PREET BHARARA, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, to announce today the arrests of CARLOS AGUIRRE and JULIO AGUIRRE on charges relating to their alleged roles in the laundering of narcotics proceeds.

According to the Indictment filed in Manhattan federal court:

From 2005 to 2006, CARLOS and JULIO AGUIRRE engaged in a conspiracy to launder over $1.5 million of narcotics proceeds by, among other methods, bringing the proceeds into the United States in the form of travelers checks and depositing them into various bank accounts in New Jersey.  As part of this scheme, CARLOS and JULIO AGUIRRE also used those same proceeds to purchase several pieces of real estate in the Atlantic City, New Jersey, area.

CARLOS AGUIRRE, 43, and JULIO AGUIRRE, 44, are both charged with one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.  If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum sentence of twenty years in prison.  The case is assigned to United States District Judge RICHARD J. SULLIVAN.

Mr. BHARARA praised the outstanding investigative work of the DEA’s Atlantic City, New Jersey, Resident Office.  He also expressed his gratitude to the IRS, New Jersey State Police, Margate Police Department, Egg Harbor Police Department, Trenton Police Department, Cumberland County Prosecutors Office's Organized Crime Bureau, and the Hamilton Police Department.

U.S. Attorney PREET BHARARA said:  "The effective moving, concealing, and laundering of illicit proceeds is critical to the success of drug dealing.  The Southern District of New York is committed to working with all of its federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to prosecute money laundering crimes that fuel drug traffickers' operations."

DEA New Jersey Acting Special Agent-in-Charge JOHN G. MCCABE, JR., stated:  "The Aguirre brothers could not buy their way out of today's arrests.  Money laundering is a direct result of drug trafficking and its illegal proceeds.  The cooperation between agencies was paramount to the success of this criminal organization being significantly eradicated."

The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s Narcotics Unit, with assistance of the Asset Forfeiture Unit.  Assistant United States Attorneys CHRISTIAN R. EVERDELL and JEFFREY ALBERTS are in charge of the prosecution.

The charge and allegations contained in the Indictment are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.