Polo-loving drug lord's double life catches up with him

Original Publication Date: June 7, 2025

A drug lord whose double life was unraveled after he loved polo was sentenced on Tuesday to a whopping 16 years in prison for attempting to traffick cocaine and marijuana into the United States. The hefty sentence, which was passed down by a judge in the western district court of Texas, came after authorities found nearly 400 kilograms of cocaine and 22,000 kilograms of marijuana on a cargo ship headed for the United States from Colombia last year. The drug lord, Roberto Velasquez, was arrested after allegedly purchasing a polo field in order to facilitate his illegal activities.

The Scandal Unfolded After A Tip From The Public

The scandalous activities of Velasquez were unraveled after a concerned member of the public alerted the police force about the mysterious purchase of the polo field by the drug lord. Authorities were intrigued by the unusual combination of drugs and polo, and began an undercover investigation into Velasquez, which uncovered the larger trafficking operation he was involved in.

The Trafficking Ring

Velasquez was found to be the leader of a large trafficking ring based out of Colombia, which used a sophisticated network of cargo ships and smaller boats to move drugs across the Caribbean and into the United States. The network allegedly moved massive quantities of drugs, which were then sold across the United States through a series of regional distribution networks. The drugs were reportedly worth millions of dollars on the street, and generated significant profits for the ring.

Thejudge's Sentence

In delivering his sentence, the judge noted that Velasquez had taken steps to try and evade detection through the use of shell companies and offshore accounts. However, the judge also acknowledged that the substantial amount of drugs seized as part of the investigation represented a major blow to the trafficking organization. The 16-year sentence was toward the upper end of the sentencing guidelines for this type of crime, reflecting the seriousness of the offenses.