The indictment charges that some of the named individuals used their positions on or in the port to facilitate drug smuggling via containerized cargo, through Crowley American Transport and Sealand Shipping. The stevedores' strategic placement allowed easy access to containerized cargo.

The indictment also charges that Clarence Lark, the former president of Teamsters Local 390, and Larry Crenshaw, Lark's brother-in-law, conspired to conduct a pattern of racketeering activity. Additionally, the indictment charges Lark and Crenshaw with extorting the rank and file of Teamsters Local 390. According to the indictment, members were required to make extortion payments to Lark and Crenshaw in order to work in lucrative locations serving the movie and television production industry. The indictment also charges that laundered narcotics proceeds were used to finance Star's Choice, a vehicle rental business controlled by Lark and Crenshaw.

This criminal racketeering activity included the importation of over 7,716 pounds of cocaine and 89,979 pounds of marijuana by persons protected by Lark. The majority of narcotic shipments were put in duffel bags in the foreign port, then placed at the back of a container in plain view for quick retrieval, commonly referred to as a "Rip and Run."

Ending a fifteen-year criminal operation
The investigation revealed that Lark and Crenshaw conducted their criminal enterprise from 1985 up to and including the date of this indictment. During this time, Lark and Crenshaw abused their union responsibilities by facilitating the smuggling of massive quantities of cocaine and marijuana, aided by stevedores they supplied to maritime shipping companies operating in Port Everglades.

The indictment further alleges that Lark made and caused to be made false and misleading statements to investigators seeking to uncover abuse of power within Teamsters Local 390. Lark and Crenshaw are accused of violating the honesty and trust they owed to the rank and file members of their local chapter in order to generate illegal income for themselves and other members of the conspiracy.

In addition, the indictment charges John Gallo, a California producer of pornographic materials, with laundering over $1 million in narcotics proceeds that he received from Willie Jackson, a stevedore involved in the smuggling of narcotics, who operated under the protection of Lark. Gallo used the proceeds he received from the conspiracy to form companies that produced and marketed pornographic materials, including but not limited to Klimaxxx Productions, Inc., the Bitas Group, Inc., and Triple J. Enterprises, Inc. Gallo then laundered the proceeds through various foreign bank accounts to disguise the true source of the funds, eventually returning a portion of the illegal funds to Willie Jackson.

The indictment further charges Lark, Gallo, and Crenshaw with participating in the massive narcotics conspiracy, which was responsible for importing cocaine and marijuana for distribution in South Florida and throughout the United States. Also charged in this narcotics conspiracy are:

• William Garcia, the source for much of the cocaine smuggled by the conspiracy;
• Curtis Newton, a member of the ILA, who introduced Lark to Jackson and brokered several loads of narcotics;
• Keith Lampkin and Lawrence Seymore, who used their positions in Teamsters Local 390 to facilitate the removal of controlled substances;
• Ricardo McHorne, a member of the ILA, who distributed some of the smuggled narcotics; and
• Charlie Hall, who distributed a portion of the smuggled narcotics and performed various construction projects for members of the conspiracy in order to conceal the source of the illegal funds.

Recovering ill-gotten gains
The indictment seeks forfeiture in the amount of $11 million, representing the illegal revenue generated from the narcotics trafficking. The indictment also seeks the forfeiture of Gallo's interest in the various pornography companies financed by the drug proceeds, Lark's and Crenshaw's interest in Star's Choice, and 15 vehicles that were purchased with drug proceeds and then leased to movie and television production companies in South Florida.

John Gallo was arrested on November 3, 2000, in California. Clarence Lark, Larry Crenshaw, Curtis Newton, Ricardo McHorne, Charles Hall, Keith Lampkin, and Lawrence Seymore were arrested on November 5, 2000, in Miami-Dade County. William Garcia remains a fugitive, and is believed to be in South America.

The dismantling of this drug smuggling organization is the result of outstanding investigative efforts and inter-agency cooperation of the Customs Service, the Internal Revenue Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Department of Labor, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, the Broward Sheriff's office and the Miami-Dade Police Department. All of the agencies are to be commended for their outstanding efforts.

Photo Credit: James Tourtellotte

Customs officers unload narcotics found in a container.

Over the past several months, the Office of Investigations and the Office of Public Affairs have been cooperating with Maury Povich's OPO Productions, Hollywood, California in the production of a new television series named "Arrest & Trial." "Arrest & Trial" details successful and interesting criminal investigations that were conducted by local, state, and/or federal law enforcement. The series is produced by Dick Wolf (of "Law & Order" and "Special Victims Unit" fame) and is emceed by Brian Dennehy. Four Customs-related segments will be shown on the following dates in February: February 15, 2001 February 23, 2001 February 26, 2001 February 28, 2001 "Arrest & Trial" is shown on the Warner Brothers Network, WB 50, and is scheduled to air 10:30 p.m. Eastern Time. Check your local listings.