Man Pleads Guilty In Massive Philadelphia Cocaine Bust

PHILADELPHIA — A crew member of a ship that was at the center of the largest cocaine seizure in customs history has pleaded guilty, according to federal authorities.

United States Attorney William M. McSwain said Vladimir Penda, 27, of the country of Montenegro, plead guilty to charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine on a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States.

In 2019, Penda, a crew member who worked on board the shipping vessel MSC Gayane as the ship’s fourth engineer, conspired with others to engage in bulk cocaine smuggling, authorities said.

During the MSC Gayane’s voyage at sea, crew members, including Penda, helped load bulk cocaine onto the vessel from speedboats that approached under cover of darkness, traveling at high speeds, according to federal authorities. Crew members used the Gayane’s crane to hoist cargo nets full of cocaine onto the vessel and then stashed the drugs in various shipping containers.

On June 17, 2019, federal, state, and local law enforcement agents boarded the MSC Gayane when it arrived at Packer Marine Terminal in Philadelphia and seized 17.5 tons, or about 35,000 pounds, in 15,000 kilogram bricks. In total, the cocaine was worth about $1 billion.

According to customs, that was the largest cocaine seizure in the agency's 230-year history.

Penda faces a maximum possible sentence of lifetime imprisonment.