News Release [print friendly page]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 27, 2002

Contact: Osvaldo Amaro, Public Information Officer
Phone: 915-832-6130 (office) 915-204-2291 (cellular)

MAJOR HEROIN DISTRIBUTOR IN EL PASO BEHIND BARS

Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Sandalio Gonzalez, along with El Paso Police Department (EPPD) Chief Carlos Leon, are pleased to announce the arrest of a major heroin drug trafficker and the seizure of three kilograms of heroin, in El Paso, Texas. This trafficker distributed large quantities of heroin from Mexico to El Paso. This investigation resulted in the arrest of Omar Alfaro CARDENAS, age 25.

CARDENAS was arraigned yesterday before United States Magistrate Judge Michael McDonald, Western District of Texas, on Federal Charges of Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance. CARDENAS is an illegal immigrant in the U.S. from Mexico and an Immigration & Naturalization hold has been placed on him.

"This investigation is another example of how the cooperative efforts of federal and local law enforcement agencies can disrupt the illegal activities of major drug traffickers operating along the U.S./Mexico border. This is the largest seizure of heroin within El Paso in the last year" said Gonzalez.

Please direct further inquiries to Supervisory Special Agent Osvaldo Amaro, DEA Public Information Officer, at 915-832-6130, or to El Paso Assistant Special Agent in Charge Larry Holifield.

Also, for more detailed information, please visit our website at www.dea.gov.