Indictments against alleged smugglers are expected
Charges have been dropped against a Santa Monica man accused of delivering 160,000 ecstasy pills to an undercover officer in an area parking lot in September.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office recently dismissed charges against Bohumel Chudoba, a Czech Republic immigrant who lives on California Avenue. He was arrested Sept. 13 for allegedly delivering the drugs in a car, which was left in a parking space in downtown Santa Monica. Inside the trunk were two large trash bags full of ecstasy, authorities allege.
Chudoba was one of 13 people arrested in September who were allegedly involved in an international drug ring that brought millions of doses of the club drug from Europe into the United States. Dubbed “Operation Money Man,” authorities have seized more than 300,000 ecstasy pills, valued on the street at $7 million.
The cases against several people who were considered low level players in the operation have been dismissed due to evidentiary issues, said U.S. Attorney spokesman Thom Mrozek. One of them was Chudoba.
“He was a very minor character in the case and, upon further review, we thought there would be some problems in proving the case to a jury,” Mrozek said.
Mrozek said it’s unclear what charges were dropped against which individuals as the case is still winding its way through the court system. However, several of the high level smugglers who were arrested have waived their rights to a preliminary hearing. It’s unknown when the indictments against them will be handed down, Mrozek said.
Chudoba was unavailable for comment.
The individuals arrested are accused of being part of an international coalition that trafficked in ecstasy, and laundered the profits through real estate and bank fraud transactions. The investigation began in March of 2002 when agents learned that a group comprised primarily of Israeli nationals were trafficking the drugs into the Los Angeles area. Investigators believe the ring shipped more than 7 million ecstasy tablets from the Czech Republic to the United States, Poland, Australia and Russia.
The investigation quickly turned to Eliyahu Marciano, the head of the organization. Marciano, 29, allegedly contracted with a broker to purchase the drugs from the Netherlands, which were then shipped to him from other places in Europe, according an affidavit filed with the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The proceeds were used to buy more drug shipments, and then were smuggled out of the United States or laundered through various businesses, according to the affidavit. Marciano and several of his associates were arrested on June 24.
Through wiretaps and sting operations, undercover agents were able to track several individuals throughout the Los Angeles area and Europe who were allegedly connected to Marciano. It appears that Chudoba was allegedly associated with three men — two in Prague and one in Brentwood.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on November 30, 2004. Read the original PDF.