Eleven people were arrested in Washington and California in connection with cartel-connected drug trafficking schemes from Mexico across the border and up I-5 to the Pacific Northwest.
Hundreds of thousands of fentanyl pills and more than 1,000 pounds of methamphetamine were trafficked by three significant drug trafficking organizations, according to an Oct. 26 U.S. Department of Justice news release. Following law enforcement activity in 14 locations across the two states, two indictments charging a total of 11 defendants were unsealed.
“These individuals were bringing large loads of meth, heroin, fentanyl and cocaine from Mexico across the border and up I-5 to the Pacific Northwest," U.S. Attorney Nick Brown said in the release. "Even when an RV loaded with drugs was pulled off the highway and seized by law enforcement, they weren’t deterred. The wiretap revealed various organizations continued to recruit drivers and vehicles to transport their drugs throughout our district.”
In September, six more defendants were indicted and taken into custody. The traffickers mentioned in the most recent indictments continued their trafficking operations despite the arrests connected to a wiretap investigation, according to the release.
The amount of drugs, weapons and cash law enforcement seized before this search was significant, including 1,016 pounds of meth, 25 kilograms of cocaine, 330,000 fentanyl pills, nine kilograms of fentanyl powder and 15.5 kilograms of heroin, as well as 43 firearms and more than $1 million in cash, the release said.
“Dangerous people are filling our streets with guns and drugs – and people are dying," Seattle Police Chief Adrian Z. Diaz said in the release. "The entire SPD, including its officers and investigators, have made getting firearms and illegal narcotics off our streets a top priority. We know this months-long investigation, arrests and seizures will result in lives saved. With more than 350,000 fentanyl pills taken by SPD’s narcotics unit alone this year and shootings in Seattle up 29% in 2022, we thank our local and federal partners for their help in prioritizing this life-saving work.”
