RI Man Admits To Mailing Fentanyl To Australia

PROVIDENCE, RI — A Providence man admitted in federal court he sent fentanyl from the United States to Australia, U.S. Attorney Zachary Cunha said.

Felix Suarez, 25, pleaded guilty Thursday to two counts of attempt to distribute a controlled substance, unlawful export of a controlled substance, and unlawful use of a communication facility to facilitate the distribution of a controlled substance.

On Dec. 30, 2022, U.S. Customs and Bored Protection seized a package headed to Sydney from Providence via FedEx. Prosecutors said the package listed Suarez's return address and was declared to contain documents. But prosecutors said it actually contained 37 grams of fentanyl.

On Jan. 17, 2023, Australian Federal Police told U.S. Homeland Security they seized a second package mailed to the same address in Sydney. Prosecutors said the package also came from Suarez and contained 25 grams of fentanyl.

According to prosecutors, a U.S. Homeland Security investigation uncovered security footage from a UPS store in Providence, where the package was mailed from. Prosecutors said the video showed Suarez buy a brown envelope from the store, return to his vehicle with the envelope, and then come back inside to mail it. The envelope matched the description of the envelope seized by Australian law enforcement.

Import records from the Australian Department of Home Affairs showed that from January 2020 to January 2023, Suarez shipped 67 packages to the same recipient in Sydney. Each parcel had a similar weight (between 0.1 kg and 0.455 kg) and were similarly identified as "documents/paper."

Suarez is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 1.

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