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High Octane Seattle, Washington --Today, Special Agent in Charge John M. Bott, Seattle Field Division, and United States Attorney John McKay announced the conclusion of Operation High Octane, a year long investigation into a Mexican Cartel drug trafficking organization that culminated in arrest of 17 persons on federal charges and another 17 detained on Immigration violations in U.S. District Court in Seattle. On November 6, 2002, over 200 law enforcement officers executed 22 search warrants in eastern and western Washington. This drug trafficking organization had been transporting and distributing multi-kilogram quantities of drugs from Michoacan, Mexico, into Washington State. A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging 25 individuals with conspiracy to distribute cocaine and heroin. Many of the defendants face sentences of up to life in prison, if convicted of conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine as charged in the indictment. This Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation resulted in the purchase of pound quantities of heroin, methamphetamine and cocaine as well as the seizure of 15 pounds of heroin in Des Moines, Washington; 15 kilograms of cocaine in Auburn, Washington; pound quantities of methamphetamine and heroin in Everett, Washington; and, 18 kilograms of cocaine in St. Louis, Missouri. Agents seized approximately $40,000 in cash from several search warrant locations as well as approximately 30 firearms. Agents conducted several successful drug interdiction efforts in independent seizures of 15 pounds of heroin, which were smuggled from Mexico and 15 kilograms of cocaine from southern California. Both seizures were found in hidden compartments of vehicles. Court records show that nine indicted defendants were arrested November 6, 2002, in the Seattle area. Eight had their initial appearance November 6, 2002, before Magistrate Judge Ricardo Martinez, United States District Court, Seattle: Guadalupe CAMPOS, Angela BANCHERO, Joseph BANCHERO, Jr., Xochitl OCHOA, Froylan GARCIA, Jose Luis DIAZ, Alberto MONZON, and Artemio GONZALES-Pineda. Indicted defendant Francisco SANCHEZ is scheduled to appear November 7, 2002, at 2:30 PM before Magistrate Judge Martinez. Court records in other districts show that three indicted defendants were arrested in St. Louis on November 5, 2002: Erica Maria GARCIA, Jesus PENALOZA, and Lauro GODINEZ-Vasquez. Two indicted defendants were arrested November 6, 2002, in Yakima: Efrain GARCIA VERDUZCO and Luis MENDOZA-Garcia. One indicted defendant was arrested November 6, 2002, in Los Angeles, California: Jorge LUIS-Sanchez. In addition, according to court records, Rigoberto SANCHEZ was also arrested in Seattle on November 6, 2002. The High Octane investigation identified SANCHEZ as a suspect in a related Western District of Texas investigation, and he was charged by Complaint November 5, 2002, in Texas with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in that district. His charge also carries a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years imprisonment and a maximum of life imprisonment. Finally, court documents show that several weeks ago, on October 6, 2002, Juan Gabriel GODINEZ-Vasquez, alleged leader of the organization, was arrested by DEA agents in St. Louis. To avoid revealing the current investigation, he was charged by Complaint in the Western District of Washington with several drug sales to an undercover agent that allegedly occurred in late 2001. GODINEZ-Vasquez arrived in custody in this district recently and had his initial appearance November 4, 2002. He is scheduled for a detention hearing Friday at 1:30 PM. Drug Seizures in High Octane 1. On August 25, 2002, agents seized a vehicle containing 15 pounds of heroin in King County, Washington. 2. On September 30, 2002, agents seized 17.4 kilograms of cocaine in a hidden compartment of a vehicle in Auburn, Washington. 3. On October 3, 2002, DEA agents in St. Louis, Missouri, intercepted five kilograms of cocaine. 4. Later on October 3, 2002, agents in St. Louis searched a vehicle and found 13 kilograms of cocaine in a hidden compartment. 5. During searches on November 6, 2002, agents seized heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine, approximately $40,000 in cash, and 30 firearms. The targets of this Michoacan, Mexico-based organization were also responsible for establishing a cocaine distribution cell in St. Louis, Missouri which was linked to the investigation in the state of Washington. "I believe this sends the right message to the Mexican cartels that DEA and law enforcement working together will utilize all resources to disrupt and dismantle their drug organization and trafficking routes into the Pacific Northwest," said DEA Special Agent in Charge John M. Bott. In addition Bott said, "A priority investigation such as this requires the participation of numerous law enforcement disciplines to arrest and prosecute those responsible for the distribution of drugs in our area of responsibility." The Seattle Field Division was assisted by DEA Yakima, DEA Blaine, DEA Special Operation Division (SOD), DEA San Antonio Regional Enforcement Team (RET), DEA St. Louis Field Division, Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), U.S. Postal Service (USPS), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), United States Marshal Service (USMS),Washington State Patrol (WSP), Snohomish Regional Drug Task Force (SRDTF), Valley Narcotics Enforcement Team (VNET), Seattle Police Department (SPD), Des Moines Police Department (DMPD), and the United States Attorney's Office (USAO), Western District of Washington who all worked in close cooperation. ### |
