A significant drug-related arrest has resulted in three foreign nationals being charged in Utah. A federal grand jury has indicted Diego Armando Campos-Fallas from Costa Rica, Hugo Eduardo Miraba-Franco from Ecuador, and Jose Enrique Zuniga-Diaz from Honduras for drug crimes following a law enforcement operation that seized about 13,000 fentanyl pills.
The events unfolded on March 19, 2025, when agents conducted an undercover operation to purchase fentanyl pills in West Valley City. Campos-Fallas met with an undercover agent and brought along approximately 5,000 fentanyl pills. He, along with Miraba-Franco, who was found in a vehicle nearby, was detained. Following this, a search of a residence occupied by the three individuals led to the discovery of an additional 8,000 fentanyl pills, along with marijuana and THC cartridges. A black Hyundai Elantra connected to Campos was also searched, recovering about 1,000 more fentanyl pills, with all substances testing positive for fentanyl.
All three defendants face charges of possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute, while Campos-Fallas and Miraba-Franco also face charges of fentanyl distribution. Their first court appearance is set for April 3, 2025, in Salt Lake City.
The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Felice John Viti for the District of Utah. The investigation was carried out collaboratively by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Assistant United States Attorney Mark K. Vincent will oversee the prosecution.
This operation is part of the broader federal initiative called Operation Take Back America, which aims to combat illegal immigration and dismantle criminal organizations through the Department of Justice's resources.
The authorities emphasized, "An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law."
