Thread: 30 Arrested in Portland, OR Mexican Meth Trafficking Bust

Just more "doing the jobs that Americans won't do." Note that this was a year long investigation. So how much does that cost. Note also that local and federal police cooperated, but the ACLU says they can't with ICE detainers, go figure. It seems that 1600 chickens in one spot should have caused some concerns to be raised, but people as usual are asleep.

Metro-wide meth operation, cockfighting ring busted

18 searches, 30 arrests, 26 pounds of meth, guns and 1600 chickens

Amy Frazier and KOIN 6 News Staff Published: October 15, 2015, 11:00 am Updated: October 16, 2015, 6:14 pm

HILLSBORO, Ore. (KOIN) — A yearlong investigation into a methamphetamine trafficking operation and cockfighting ring culminated with the arrests of 30 people after a multi-agency effort that included searches of 18 different locations.
The meth operation was based in Washington County, said Sgt. Bob Ray with the sheriff’s office. Investigators believe the meth came in from Mexico and distributed throughout the entire 5-county metropolitan area.

The searches included both residential and commercial properties, with most of the searches being done Thursday. Two were done on Friday and the first 4 were done at a recent previous time.
Ray told KOIN 6 News the ring was operating “pretty much everywhere around the Portland metro area. We believe the central part of their operations was in Washington County before we shut them down.”
The operation impacted the neighborhoods, he said. “When the criminal element comes in, crimes begin to happen, whether they’re thefts, burglaries, assaults.”
The meth was being produced in “Mexican super labs,” Ray said, then shipped to the area and distributed. The 26 pounds of meth confiscated has a street value of more than $1 million.
Ray noted there are “countless cases of people that will steal from their immediate family members. They’ll steal from their grandparents, they’ll sell heirlooms, whatever they can do to be able to get the money and buy the drugs.”
The federal indictment
The official federal indictment lists 24 people — with nicknames like Chupas, Teddy Bear, Gordo, The Russian, Hazy, The Duck — who “willfully combine, conspire, confederate, and agree” to manufacture and distributed meth and use various communication devices in the conspiracy.
They’re also accused of money laundering and organizing the cockfighting ring.
Some of the defendants used “their associations with criminal organizations and gangs based in Mexico, Texas and California, including individuals associated with a drug cartel i
Cockfighting
More than 1600 chickens were found at a property in the 21400 block of SW Farmington Road, investigators said, and most of those chickens were used in cockfighting.


He said the cockfighting operation was “extremely large” and the fights would take place at that location. Ray said the conditions were “very cruel,” and it is unclear what will happen with the chickens.
“The Oregon Humane Society is very instrumental in working with us to work through this issue.”
“A vast amount” of stolen items were found in the searches, and authorities seized more than 26 pounds of meth, 19 firearms, cocaine, about $90,000 in cash and a $3,000 bicycle.
A total of 66 people were investigated and 30 were arrested, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office said.
Washington County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Bob Ray said the searches and arrests are “the culmination of a lengthy investigation.” He also described the “prolonged” case as “very extensive.” Ray also said more arrests in this case are possible.


n the Mexican state of Michoacan, obtained methamphetamine for purposes of further distribution within the United States, including within the District of Oregon.”
http://koin.com/2015/10/15/5-swat-te...-wide-arrests/