According to law enforcement officials, a professional boxer who bills himself as “The Pride of Spanish Harlem” and 11 others were arrested Friday on charges of taking part in an international cocaine trafficking ring.
Junior welterweight contender Edgar “El Chamaco” Santana and the other suspects conspired to smuggle the drug from Puerto Rico into New York, prosecutors said.
Narcotics detectives arrested the suspects early Friday morning on charges related to cocaine sale and possession. Authorities seized several pounds of cocaine and $450,000 in cash as part of the investigation, dubbed “Operation Special Delivery.”
The suspects are from Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Bronx, Yonkers and Puerto Rico. Their arraignment, initially scheduled Friday, was postponed until Monday, and it was unclear whether they had attorneys.
Santana hasn’t yet fought for a title but had been moving in that direction. The 29-year-old fighter outpointed well-regarded prospect Josesito Lopez in Miami in April.
Santana (24-3, 15 KOs) was scheduled to fight next on Aug. 6 against Ali Oubaali (21-3, 17 KOs) in the main event of a card to be televised on ESPN2.
Watch: WNBC
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