New London Woman Indicted In Cocaine Trafficking Case: Feds

NEW LONDON, CT — A grand jury has indicted a New London woman on drug charges, according to a statement from Leonard C Boyle, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut. Giselle Ortiz Archilla, 31, was indicted on a charge of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute at least five kilograms of cocaine.

She was released on $100,000 bond. The superseding indictment also charges Carlos Antonio Crespo-Febus, 40, of New London, and Steven Collazo, 30, of Groton, with the same crime. Crespo-Febus and Collazo were originally charged by indictment in September 2021.

According to prosecutors, in April 2021, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Narcotics and Bulk Cash Trafficking Task Force and the Drug Enforcement Administration began investigating a cocaine trafficking operation headed by Crespo-Febus.

The investigation found that Crespo-Febus was coordinating the shipment of parcels, typically containing two kilograms of cocaine, from U.S. Post Offices in Puerto Rico to various “drop addresses” in New London County.

Collazo and Ortiz Archilla picked up parcels from the drop addresses and delivered them to Crespo-Febus at his New London home. Ortiz Archilla also recruited others into the conspiracy, according to prosecutors.

Investigators intercepted and seized more than 12 kilograms of cocaine that were mailed from Puerto Rico to Connecticut, and have identified dozens of other suspicious parcels that likely contained kilogram quantities of cocaine.

Crespo-Febus is detained and Collazo is released to home detention on a $100,000 bond.

The charge of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine carries a maximum term of imprisonment of life.