An investigation into a poly-drug trafficking organization in Denver, Colorado has led to the recent indictment of 19 and arrest of 10 individuals.
The suspects have been charged with crimes ranging from racketeering and conspiracy to drug distribution and money laundering, a Dec. 1 Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) press release said.
In addition to 110,000 counterfeit prescription pills containing fentanyl, the investigation seized large quantities of heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, numerous firearms and $450,000 in cash, the release said.
“This investigation is not about the amount of drugs seized or number of people arrested,” David Olesky, DEA Denver acting special agent in charge, said in the release. “This investigation demonstrates and corroborates the alarming trend in counterfeit prescription pills laced with fentanyl flooding our streets, as well as the continuing nexus between drug trafficking and violent crime impacting our communities.”
The investigation, launched in April, was looking into a drug trafficking organization responsible for distribution of illegal substances, including large quantities of fentanyl, the release said. DEA Denver coordinated with federal, state and local law enforcement to find the alleged criminals.
Among those indicted, Saul Ramon Rivera-Beltran, 30, of Thorton, Colorado, was found responsible for coordinating the transportation of the illegal drugs from Mexico to Colorado by a federal grand jury, the release said. The fentanyl-laced pills are suspected by officials of being smuggled across the southwest border.
The indictments come during an increase in fentanyl overdoses across the country, making the drug a primary driver of the overdose epidemic nationwide, the release said. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported a record-breaking 100,306 drug-related overdoses for the 12-month period ending this April.
