Drug-distribution Conspiracy at DFW Airport

Drug-distribution Conspiracy at DFW Airport

  • By Ginger Hill
  • Jul 15, 2015

A 46-person drug-distributing, money-laundering ring that recently got busted at Dallas/Ft. Worth (DFW) International Airport was unsealed this morning, “inviting” 17 of the 46 people to make appearances in the downtown Dallas courtroom. Most of the group of 17 is charged with at least one count of money laundering or conspiracy to commit money laundering, and/or drug charges.

With security being so tight at airports, just how did this happen? The following group of four explains:

  • Funaki “Noc” Falahola, 33 years old;
  • Moniteveti “Vince” Katoa, 51 years old;
  • Molitoni “Tony” Katoa, 33 years old; and
  • Janelle Isaacs, 40 years old.

All of the above mentioned “Fantastic Four” admitted to either working at DFW Airport or knowing someone who could bypass security to make cocaine deliveries from the airport to various locations throughout the United States. The indictment also accuses them of acting as “lookouts” to bypass airport security measures.

This is how the story went down.

Falahola told an undercover FBI agent that he and Katoa, his cousin, could help transport cocaine from DFW to Las Vegas, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Miami. Katoa was an airport worker who, after completing the security check, would fly the drugs on his person to their final destination.

Falahola informed the undercover agent that his cousin and other family members (Janelle Isaacs, Katoa’s wife) could help while Katoa explained that he has several ways to transport illegal drugs, going into details about how he had flown several times to observe how TSA conducted security checks in various cities. Katoa even admitted that he had been waiting for the opportunity to transport drugs on American Airlines.

Falahola and Katoa struck a deal with the undercover officer and agreed to transport four kilos of cocaine to Las Vegas for $9,000. Undercover officers gave Falahola a backpack with four kilos of some type of substance resembling cocaine in which he and Katoa delivered to another undercover officer in Las Vegas.

Each drug trafficking conspiracy charges has a maximum sentence of life in prison and millions of dollars in fines. Money-laundering charges have a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $500,000 fine.

Image: CaseyMartin / Shutterstock.com

About the Author

Ginger Hill is Group Social Media Manager.

Featured

  • The Evolution of IP Camera Intelligence

    As the 30th anniversary of the IP camera approaches in 2026, it is worth reflecting on how far we have come. The first network camera, launched in 1996, delivered one frame every 17 seconds—not impressive by today’s standards, but groundbreaking at the time. It did something that no analog system could: transmit video over a standard IP network. Read Now

  • From Surveillance to Intelligence

    Years ago, it would have been significantly more expensive to run an analytic like that — requiring a custom-built solution with burdensome infrastructure demands — but modern edge devices have made it accessible to everyone. It also saves time, which is a critical factor if a missing child is involved. Video compression technology has played a critical role as well. Over the years, significant advancements have been made in video coding standards — including H.263, MPEG formats, and H.264—alongside compression optimization technologies developed by IP video manufacturers to improve efficiency without sacrificing quality. The open-source AV1 codec developed by the Alliance for Open Media—a consortium including Google, Netflix, Microsoft, Amazon and others — is already the preferred decoder for cloud-based applications, and is quickly becoming the standard for video compression of all types. Read Now

  • Cost: Reactive vs. Proactive Security

    Security breaches often happen despite the availability of tools to prevent them. To combat this problem, the industry is shifting from reactive correction to proactive protection. This article will examine why so many security leaders have realized they must “lead before the breach” – not after. Read Now

  • Achieving Clear Audio

    In today’s ever-changing world of security and risk management, effective communication via an intercom and door entry communication system is a critical communication tool to keep a facility’s staff, visitors and vendors safe. Read Now

  • Beyond Apps: Access Control for Today’s Residents

    The modern resident lives in an app-saturated world. From banking to grocery delivery, fitness tracking to ridesharing, nearly every service demands another download. But when it comes to accessing the place you live, most people do not want to clutter their phone with yet another app, especially if its only purpose is to open a door. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • Luma x20

    Luma x20

    Snap One has announced its popular Luma x20 family of surveillance products now offers even greater security and privacy for home and business owners across the globe by giving them full control over integrators’ system access to view live and recorded video. According to Snap One Product Manager Derek Webb, the new “customer handoff” feature provides enhanced user control after initial installation, allowing the owners to have total privacy while also making it easy to reinstate integrator access when maintenance or assistance is required. This new feature is now available to all Luma x20 users globally. “The Luma x20 family of surveillance solutions provides excellent image and audio capture, and with the new customer handoff feature, it now offers absolute privacy for camera feeds and recordings,” Webb said. “With notifications and integrator access controlled through the powerful OvrC remote system management platform, it’s easy for integrators to give their clients full control of their footage and then to get temporary access from the client for any troubleshooting needs.”

  • Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

    Connect ONE®

    Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

  • PE80 Series

    PE80 Series by SARGENT / ED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin

    ASSA ABLOY, a global leader in access solutions, has announced the launch of two next generation exit devices from long-standing leaders in the premium exit device market: the PE80 Series by SARGENT and the PED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin. These new exit devices boast industry-first features that are specifically designed to provide enhanced safety, security and convenience, setting new standards for exit solutions. The SARGENT PE80 and Corbin Russwin PED4000/PED5000 Series exit devices are engineered to meet the ever-evolving needs of modern buildings. Featuring the high strength, security and durability that ASSA ABLOY is known for, the new exit devices deliver several innovative, industry-first features in addition to elegant design finishes for every opening.