Two Indicted in Seizure of More Than 19 Kilos of Cocaine Set for Delivery in Providence, Woonsocket & Central Falls

PROVIDENCE, RI — Two Florida men are suspected of running drugs from Puerto Rico to Rhode Island, the U.S. Attorney's Office said, after a police dog sniffed out narcotics in packages they allegedly shipped to addresses in Woonsocket, Central Falls and Providence. Rinaxo M. Rufino, 33, of Miramar, Florida, and Gabriel Concepcion, 27, of Kissimmee, Florida., were arrested on August 26. They are charged with conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine. Additionally, Concepcion is charged with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. They have been held in federal custody since their arrest. On Thursday, a federal grand jury in Providence returned a two-count indictment accusing them of conspiring to traffic cocaine.

According to court documents, postal inspectors intercepted five shipments of cocaine in various sized packages allegedly shipped from Puerto Rico to addresses in Providence, Woonsocket and Central Falls, the U.S Attorney's Office said.

Here is the information from the press release.

Each of the packages was addressed to individuals not associated with the address to which the packages were shipped. In each instance, a police K-9 detected the odor of narcotics in each package prior to delivery. The packages were seized by law enforcement.

Rinaxo M. Rufino was arrested at a Central Falls residence on August 26, moments after he allegedly took possession of a package that he believed contained approximately 3 kilograms of cocaine. Gabriel Concepcion was arrested moments later after he was stopped by a Rhode Island State Police trooper as he allegedly drove away from the area of the residence. A loaded firearm was allegedly located in Conception’s vehicle.

It is alleged in court documents that Rufino and Concepcion, who had been under law enforcement surveillance for some time, were seen surveilling the area of the Central Falls residence prior to and after the package was left on the doorstep of the residence by a U.S. Postal carrier. Prior to the delivery of the package, USPIS Inspectors had removed the cocaine.

Prior to the arrest of Rufino and Concepcion, USPIS Postal Inspectors took custody of packages allegedly containing cocaine earmarked for delivery to other residences in Providence, Central Falls and Woonsocket. In each instance, a police K-9 allegedly detected the odor of narcotics in each package.

• On August 4, USPIS Inspectors took possession of a package addressed to a residence in Providence, which allegedly containing 8.16 kilograms of cocaine.
• On August 10, USPIS Inspectors took possession of a package addressed to a residence in Woonsocket, which allegedly contained 1.2 kilograms of cocaine.
• On August 26, USPIS Inspectors took possession of a package addressed to a residence in Woonsocket, which allegedly contained 3.48 kilograms of cocaine.
• On August 26, USPIS Inspectors took possession of a package addressed to Central Falls residence, different from the residence where Rufino was arrested. The package allegedly contained 3.48 kilograms of cocaine.

According to court documents, the investigation began in April 2017, when a package mailed from Providence to Puerto Rico was intercepted by USPIS Inspectors after a police K-9 allegedly reacted positively for the presence of the odor of narcotics. Acting on a federal court authorized search warrant, postal inspectors opened the package and discovered $58,010 in cash.

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