Former heavyweight boxer Goran Gogic was charged by the U.S. Department of Justice on Monday with trafficking 22 tons of cocaine worth over $1 billion.
The 43-year-old Montenegrin was arrested on Sunday night at Miami International Airport while trying to board a flight to Zurich. He was previously indicted by a grand jury in New York.
Gogic was charged with three counts of violating the federal Maritime Drug Law Enforcement Act, plus one count of conspiracy. Each of the three counts has a mandatory minimum 10-year prison term with a possible life sentence.
The charges date back to 2019, when 22 tons of cocaine from three commercial cargo ships were seized while docked at Philadelphia's Packer Avenue Marine Terminal. According to prosecutors, the cocaine was transported to Europe from Colombia using American ports. The scheme used cranes and nets at night to hoist cocaine onto cargo ships.
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Gogic oversaw the logistics and coordinated with crew members, Colombian traffickers and European dockworkers, according to court papers.
U.S. Attorney Breon Peace in Brooklyn called Gogic's arrest and indictment "a resounding victory for law enforcement." Larence Hashish, Gogic's lawyer, said that the charges "came as a surprise to him" and he "maintains his innocence."
Gogic was a heavyweight boxer from 2001 to 2012, compiling a 21-4-2 record in 27 career matches.