Bay Shore man charged in international drug trade, officials say

A Bay Shore man was named Thursday in an indictment charging 19 individuals in the U.S. and Colombia with laundering "tens of millions" of dollars for Colombian drug organizations.

Rafael Alvarez, 33, a U.S. citizen, was arrested Thursday on Long Island and charged with conspiracy, authorities said. Ceasar Stapleton, 37, of Maspeth, Queens, was also arrested and charged in federal court in Brooklyn.

Both were identified as "money movers." They allegedly received cash from narcotics distributors and then followed instructions to secrete it in compartments in vehicles, gasoline containers and shoe boxes and deliver it to others who repatriated it to money brokers operating out of shopping malls in Colombia.

As part of the investigation, officials said, they have seized $6.5 million in cash, 52.5 kilos of heroin, 32 kilos of cocaine and 63 pounds of marijuana. Twelve of the defendants were arrested in Colombia.