17 arrested in Arizona drug-smuggling case

Oct. 13, 2011 03:45 PM
The Arizona Republic-12 News Breaking News Team

Federal and local authorities arrested 17 suspected smugglers on Thursday and seized nearly 1,000 pounds of marijuana in a multi-city raid focused on dismantling the Casa Grande drug-smuggling organization.

Authorities also confiscated 12 weapons, 1,000 rounds of ammunition and $35,000 in the Phoenix area.

The operation, which began in the morning, was headed by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations and the Pinal County Sheriff's Office.

ICE officials said the operation focused on dismantling the Casa Grande drug-smuggling organization, which was centered in Casa Grande. The group specialized in moving drugs from the border through western Arizona and into Phoenix. Six search warrants were served in Casa Grande. Two were served in Stanfield and one each in Phoenix, Tucson, Marana and on the Gila River Nation.

Authorities serving a warrant near 107th Avenue and Indian School Road in Phoenix found 800 pounds of drugs, according to federal officials.

Authorities suspect the organization smuggles up to 50,000 pounds of marijuana a month through Arizona, ICE said.

The Homeland Security Investigations unit of ICE and PCSO have been investigating the organization for more than a year.

"We appreciate the assistance of our federal law enforcement partners with this large scale investigation," Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu said in a prepared statement. "Together we were able to disrupt a major drug smuggling operation which in turn has had a significant effect on the Mexican drug cartel behind it. We will continue to bring the heavy hand of enforcement to those who think they can smuggle drugs or humans through Pinal County."

The investigation was conducted by the Pinal County Drug Task Force, a partnership between HSI and the PCSO funded by the Arizona High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area.

The Arizona Department of Public Safety; the U.S. Border Patrol; U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office of Air and Marine; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Arizona Attorney General's Office; the U.S. Attorney's Office; the U.S. Marshals Service; the Pima County Sheriff's Office; and the police departments from Marana, Florence, Coolidge, Casa Grande, Maricopa, Gila River, Phoenix and Eloy assisted with executing the search warrants and arresting suspected smugglers.

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