Maximiliano Davila-Perez, the former head of Bolivia's anti-narcotics agency, has been extradited to the United States. He faces federal charges related to cocaine importation and firearms offenses. Damian Williams, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that Davila-Perez arrived in the U.S. this morning and will appear before Judge Robyn F. Tarnofsky in New York.
Williams stated, "As alleged, Maximiliano Davila-Perez abused his position as the head of Bolivia’s anti-narcotics law enforcement agency to instead aid the very narcotics traffickers he was entrusted to investigate and arrest." He emphasized that this case is part of ongoing efforts with the DEA's Special Operations Division to combat global drug-related corruption.
Anne Milgram, DEA Administrator, commented on Davila-Perez's actions: "Maximiliano Davila-Perez was supposed to fight the drug trade, but instead he fueled it." She warned that no corrupt official is beyond reach and reaffirmed the DEA's commitment to justice.
Davila-Perez served as Director of Bolivia’s Fuerza Especial de Lucha Contra el Narcotráfico (FELCN) until November 2019. Allegations indicate he exploited his role for large-scale cocaine trafficking by diverting resources from investigations and providing security for shipments. Recorded discussions from July 2019 reveal plans to send over a ton of cocaine from Bolivia to the U.S., with Davila-Perez offering protection services.
Despite being demoted in November 2019, Davila-Perez allegedly continued his involvement in cocaine trafficking until February 2020. During this period, meetings detailed plans for importing cocaine into the U.S., including a successful delivery of a sample shipment in Lima, Peru.
Davila-Perez faces charges that carry severe penalties if convicted: conspiring to import cocaine could result in a minimum sentence of 10 years up to life imprisonment; using machineguns during these activities also carries a potential life sentence.
The prosecution is managed by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sam Adelsberg, Matthew J.C. Hellman, and David J. Robles under the Office’s National Security and International Narcotics Unit. The defendant remains presumed innocent unless proven guilty.