Itiel Palacios Garcia, also known as "El Playa" or "El Compa Playa," has been extradited from Mexico to the United States. He faces charges related to cocaine importation and weapons offenses. The announcement was made by Matthew Podolsky, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Derek S. Maltz, Acting Administrator of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Palacios Garcia appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Henry J. Ricardo and is being held without bail.
Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky stated: “As alleged, for years, Itiel Palacios Garcia led a violent drug trafficking organization in Mexico that directed vast quantities of cocaine into communities in the United States. Palacios Garcia and his organization allegedly used assault rifles, grenades, and other heavy weapons to protect his drug trafficking territory and to battle drug rivals. This Office and our law enforcement partners stand committed to cutting off the flow of dangerous drugs into our country and bringing international drug traffickers to justice.”
According to court documents, Palacios Garcia led a drug trafficking organization based in Guerrero, Mexico. From at least 2012 to 2020, he allegedly trafficked large quantities of cocaine from Guatemala through his territory into the U.S., using firearms and grenades for protection against rival groups like Los Zetas.
In 2016, Palacios Garcia's group reportedly purchased an aircraft to transport approximately 800 kilograms of cocaine from Colombia to Venezuela and then through Guatemala into Mexico and finally the U.S. In another incident in April 2020, a plane carrying cocaine crashed in Guatemala’s El Petén region; both pilots died, but authorities recovered about 800 kilograms of cocaine.
Palacios Garcia is charged with conspiracy to import cocaine into the U.S., possession of machineguns and destructive devices related to this conspiracy, among other charges. These charges carry severe penalties including mandatory minimum sentences ranging from 10 years to life imprisonment.
Matthew Podolsky commended the DEA’s Special Operations Division for their investigative work along with support from various DEA offices in Mexico, the Justice Department’s Criminal Division's Office of International Affairs, and the U.S. Marshals Service.
The case is managed by the National Security and International Narcotics Unit with Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas S. Bradley, Jane Y. Chong, Sarah L. Kushner, Alexander Li, Daniel G. Nessim, David J. Robles, and Kyle A. Wirshba leading the prosecution.
The charges are accusations at this stage; Palacios Garcia is presumed innocent until proven guilty.