The leader of the criminal organization lived in Riverside, east of Los Angeles
They trafficked cocaine and other drugs through the United States Postal Service.
Photo:
StockSnap / Pixabay
LOS ANGELES.- Federal authorities and California they arrested this Wednesday to 16 suspects of being part of a drug trafficking band, and during the investigation they seized almost $ 1.9 million, reported the prosecution.
The band, formed mostly by latinos, he used the United States Postal Service (USPS) as well as private vehicles to send cocaine and other narcotics to buyers across the country, he reported Ciaran McEvoy, from the California District Attorney’s Office.
In addition to the money, the authorities also seized 19 guns, near 1,000 tablets of fentanyl opioid, 77 kilos of cocaine, nine kilos of heroin and 68 kilos of methamphetamine.
The investigation, which lasted three years, identified Ricardo Alejandro Bazán, aka "Ricky", "Chuco" and "Chu", as the leader of the organization that operated primarily from the counties of Riverside Y Saint Bernardine.
Of the 24 included in the indictment unveiled this Wednesday, 13 were arrested in southern California, three others were captured in Ohio Y South Carolina Y eight are fugitives.
Between October 2016 and May 2018, the drug traffickers they mailed "large numbers of narcotics from post offices throughout Riverside and San Bernardino counties," the prosecutor's report said.
Shipments were made to different states of the country, including NY,Ohio, Michigan Y South Carolina, in exchange for cash payments that often exceeded $ 100,000 dollars, according to the indictment.
Money from drug payments was sent to California and finally delivered to Bazan, 41 years old and resident of Riverside.
Doroteo Mendoza Torrez, aka "Güero" or "Güerito", 57, and Edulfo Leyva Pérez, alias “Gallo”, 54, was in charge of organizing narcotics shipments from Mexico and Colombia to southern Californianoted the investigation.
Noel Granados, aka "Big Show", 40, coordinated the shipment of drugs to band members in other states and directed the day-to-day operations through mail and transport trucks.
Other detainees include Estevan Ortiz, aka "Stevie" and "Wonder", 39, accused of hide drugs in vehicle compartments for distribution, and Jonathan Darnell Carey, 41, responsible for receiving packages from the USPS that contained $ 125,000 Y $ 200,000 dollars, from the sale of narcotics.
If convicted, the defendants face convictions of a minimum of 10 years in jail and a maximum of life imprisonment.
The investigation was carried out by the Group 50 of the High Intensity Area of Drug Traffic of Los Angeles (HIDTA), made up of several federal and local agencies, along with the US Postal Inspection Service.
You may also like:
