Mexican Meth Distribution Network Dismantled
Friday, 26 September 2008

80 individuals arrested; Drugs, Cash and Weapons Seized

Phoenix, AZ - The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), in conjunction with the Tempe Police Department’s Special Investigation Unit and the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office concluded a year long drug investigation on September 22, 2008.

This investigation was conducted in the area of Tempe , Mesa and Phoenix with the bulk of the enforcement taking place in Tempe . The focus of the investigation was to identify and apprehend dealers of methamphetamines using undercover operations.

Tempe Police Undercover Officers spent countless hours on this investigation which resulted in the following arrests and seizures:

* 80 drug dealers were arrested
* 30 pounds of methamphetamines were seized
* 12 vehicles were seized
* 3 guns were seized and
* $490,000 in cash were seized
* 6 search warrants were obtained and served

The efforts of the men and women involved in this investigation have made a significant impact in the sales and distribution of methamphetamines and the crimes commonly associated with this type of activity.

This investigation targeted everyone from the small drug dealer, to the pager dealer making multiple sales a day, to the mid-level supplier, all the way to the drug trafficking organization in Mexico supplying the large amounts of meth. Law Enforcement not only disrupted the organization but we eliminated their “customer baseâ€