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# Local man released from custody after feds take down global ecstasy ring
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/local-man-released-from-custody-after-feds-take-down-global-ecstasy-ring/
- Published: 2004-09-21T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T05:07:27.000Z
- Author: Carolyn Sackariason
- Tags: Crime, Santa Monica, #archive-import

*Indictments on alleged dealers expected next month*

A Santa Monica man has been released from jail after he allegedly delivered 160,000 ecstasy pills to an undercover officer in a local parking lot last week.

Bohumel Chudoba, who lives on California Avenue, was arrested Sept. 13\. He was released last week on a $25,000 bond. Authorities say Chudoba allegedly delivered the drugs in a car, which was left in a parking space in Santa Monica. Inside the trunk were two large trash bags full of ecstasy, authorities allege.

Chudoba was one of 13 people arrested in recent weeks 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 two-year investigation involved the DEA, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Santa Monica Police Department, and Austrian and Czech authorities.

Five people were arrested last week and eight others weeks before that. 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 alleged head of the organization.

Marciano, 29, of Hollywood, is being held without bail, said United States Attorney spokesman Thom Mrozek.

Through a liaison, Marciano 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.

Also arrested on Sept. 13 were Vaclav Pitas, 50, of Prague, and Oskar Benes, 44, of Prague — who allegedly headed the European organization that shipped the drugs to LA.

According to the affidavit, Pitas and Benes met with an undercover DEA agent on Aug. 19 to negotiate the purchase of 150,000 ecstasy pills to be shipped into the U.S. Pitas and Benes told the agent that another man, Martin Celner, 40, of Brentwood, had about 125,000 pills available, according to the affidavit.

The deal was made that Celner would deliver the drugs inside the trunk of a Chrysler Vision at a previously agreed upon parking lot in Santa Monica where Celner would park the car and wait for the undercover agent, according to the affidavit. Once visual contact was made between Celner and the agent, Celner would place the keys under the car’s floor mat and leave the vehicle. The agent would then take the car, remove the drugs and bring the car back to its location in one hour, according to the affidavit.

On Sept. 13 at about 10 a.m., the agent arrived at the location and watched Celner cross the parking lot. Celner called the agent on his cell phone and told him the car would arrive shortly. Within minutes, the car was allegedly delivered by Chudoba where he nodded to Celner and walked away, according to the affidavit. Celner waved and pointed the car out to the agent, and then left the area, authorities said.

Benes and Pitas, who were in Vienna, Austria to receive payment for the pills from a purported associate of the undercover agent, have been arrested. Celner was arrested about an hour later as he returned to the parking lot to get the car.

Also arrested in the sting operation were: ■ Nimrod Haim, 27, of Prague, who allegedly brokered ecstasy deals between Pitas and Marciano. ■ Hillel Shamam, 38, of Woodland Hills, who allegedly helped Marciano launder drug proceeds through real estate transactions. ■ Sanny Assoulin, 30, of Sherman Oaks, an alleged ecstasy distributor. ■ Vladimyr Frazilus, 35, of Aliso Viejo and West Los Angeles, who allegedly trafficked in ecstasy. ■ Eden Guerrier, 29, of West Hollywood, who allegedly purchased ecstasy from Marciano and acted as a courier. ■ Vince Wilson, 39, of Paramount, who allegedly arranged for the transportation of ecstasy to the U.S. on behalf of Marciano. ■ Tyreisha Lashon Baldwin, 20, of Watts, who allegedly traveled to Belgium to ship ecstasy to the U.S. ■ Yossi Mashiah, 46, an illegal alien, was in state custody on narcotics charges at the time of the takedown.

The federal government has until Oct. 26 to indict all of the defendants. Those who have been arrested abroad will be extradited to the U.S., which could take up to 60 days, Mrozek said.

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on September 21, 2004.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/092104.pdf?ref=smdp.com)