Three Convicted In Drug Trafficking Conspiracy

PHILADELPHIA - A federal court jury returned guilty verdicts against Lan Dang, Vutha Kao, and Jeremy Warren as part of an international drug trafficking ring. Dang was convicted of conspiracy to import 138,000 ecstasy pills into the United States, importing ecstasy pills, and conspiracy to launder monetary instruments. Kao and Warren were convicted of conspiracy to distribute ecstasy pills, possession with the intent to distribute ecstasy pills, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

The jury also ordered Dang, Kao, and Warren to forfeit the proceeds of their drug trafficking offenses. Dang, a resident of Toronto, Canada, was the head of an international Vietnamese drug trafficking organization which smuggled into the United States massive amounts of illegal drugs which had been manufactured in Canada. These drugs were then distributed to customers across the eastern seaboard stretching from Atlanta to Boston. Over a two month period between August 29, 2006 and October 20, 2006, Dang sold approximately 138,000 ecstasy pills to two Philadelphia-based drug dealers. Dang then coordinated a sophisticated scheme to launder the proceeds of those drugs sales back to Canada.

On October 20, 2006, the Pennsylvania State Police discovered 45,000 of these ecstasy pills during a traffic stop of Kao and Warren's vehicle. Kao and Warren were attempting to transport these ecstasy pills to Atlanta while working for the Philadelphia-based drug dealers. Kao and Warren had been given a sawed-off carbine rifle by the Philadelphia-based drug dealers to protect their shipment. The guideline sentencing range for each defendant is 20 years to 30 years imprisonment. Sentencing is scheduled for March 4, 2008.

The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. Livermore of the United States Department of Justice Organized Crime and Racketeering Section. The case was investigated by special agents with the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The investigation also received assistance from: ATF, DEA, the Pennsylvania State Police, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Federal Bureau of Prisons, and the Delaware County Prison.