A former professional Montenegrin boxer was charged on Monday by the Department of Justice (DOJ) with trafficking over 20 tons of cocaine with a $1 billion street value.
The former heavyweight boxer, 43-year-old Goran Gogic, is allegedly responsible for the copious amounts of cocaine seized at a Philadelphia port back in 2019 making it “one of the largest cocaine seizures in American history,” according to Reuters.
Heavyweight boxer charged with trafficking 20 TONS of cocaine worth $1 billion through US ports https://t.co/03zEnFaInc
— Daily Mail US (@DailyMail) November 1, 2022
Gogic was arrested at Miami International Airport Sunday evening while attempting to board a flight to the Swiss city of Zurich, according to Reuters. The former boxer was indicted by a grand jury in New York.
Federal prosecutors charged Gogic with three counts of violating the federal Maritime Drug Law Enforcement Act as well as a count of conspiracy, according to a DOJ press release. Each individual count carries a minimum sentence of 10-years behind bars up to a life sentence, according to Reuters. (RELATED: $2.1 Million Worth Of Meth Seized At Texas Border Crossing)
“The arrest and indictment of Gogic, a former boxer allegedly responsible for trafficking a staggering amount of cocaine, more than 20 tons, which he attempted to move through U.S. ports, is a resounding victory for law enforcement,” stated United States Attorney Peace. https://t.co/Mln9DNbceT
— US Attorney EDNY (@EDNYnews) October 31, 2022
Prosecutors accused Gogic of allegedly trafficking cocaine from Colombia into Europe through American ports, according to the press release. Suspects allegedly filled open space on cargo ships with drugs after hours by approaching ships with smaller vessels and hoisting the cocaine onto the much larger cargo ships via large nets and a crane system, according to the DOJ press release. The boxer allegedly worked with with drug dealers, cargo ship crew-members, and port workers, according to the DOJ.
Gogic’s attorney, Lawrence Hashish, stated that the charges come as a “surprise” to the boxer, Reuters reported.
Gogic’s professional boxing career began in 2001 and lasted until 2012, according to Reuters.