Thread: Eighty arrested in drug bust called biggest ever in Colorado

Eighty arrested in drug bust called biggest ever in Colorado

By Keith Coffman | Reuters – 29 mins ago...

DENVER (Reuters) - At least 80 people have been arrested in what federal, state and local law enforcement officials on Thursday called the largest drug bust in Colorado history, a sweep that grew out of an investigation of violent bank robberies.

U.S. Attorney John Walsh said 58 pounds of cocaine, 2.2 pounds of crack cocaine and one pound of methamphetamine were seized in the two-year operation undertaken by 500 federal agents and police officers.

"Today our streets are safer, and the drug trade in Colorado has suffered a massive blow," Walsh said in a statement.

In addition to the illegal drugs, agents also seized 12 weapons, including assault rifles and handguns, and more than $400,000 in cash.
The drug trafficking probe began in December 2009 and evolved from FBI investigations of a series of 16 takeover bank robberies in the Denver area.

"What triggered this investigation was the very violent activity of some hard-core gang members," said Aurora, Colorado, Police Chief Daniel Oates. "Once we focused on them, our investigation led to a complex narcotics conspiracy."

Twenty-five suspected gang members have been charged with the bank robberies, according to prosecutors.

A total of 97 people have been charged in either federal or state court related to the drug sweep, and all but 17 had been taken into custody, authorities said. They said the sweep marked the biggest mass arrest for drug trafficking ever in the state.

If convicted, most of the defendants charged in federal court face sentences ranging from 10 years in prison to life terms and up to $10 million in fines, prosecutors said.

Defendants charged in state court could receive mandatory minimum prison sentences depending on the charges, they said.

Eighty arrested in drug bust called biggest ever in Colorado - Yahoo! News

97 people charged in largest drug bust in Colorado history

Posted: 02/09/2012 11:47:59 AM MST
February 10, 2012 1:56 AM GMT Updated:
02/09/2012 06:56:49 PM MST By Felisa Cardona
The Denver Postdenverpost.com

Seventy- five people across the metro area were arrested this morning in what is described as the largest drug bust in Colorado history.

Members of street gangs committing violent bank takeovers and other street crimes were identified as traffickers of massive amounts of cocaine, crack and methamphetamine.

Agents and officers from nearly every federal and state law enforcement agency were involved in the investigations.

Eighteen people are still at large. A total of 97 people are charged in state and federal indictments.

Eleven weapons, including an SKS assault rifle, an AR-15 assault rifle, handguns, $415,140 in cash, 26,129 grams of cocaine, 1,000 grams of crack and a pound of methamphetamine were found during the operation.

Twelve children were removed from homes where agents say drugs, guns and cash were stored.

The arrests are a culmination of four separate crime investigations that agents noticed were overlapping with the common goal of drug trafficking.

In December 2009, the FBI began investigating several violent takeover robberies in Denver committed by gang members as part of the drug trafficking organization.

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97 people charged in largest drug bust in Colorado history - The Denver Post

I.C.E. News Release

February 9, 2012
Denver, CO

Local, state and federal law enforcement agencies engage in largest drug bust in Colorado history arresting gang members and drug dealers

DENVER — Special agents, police officers and deputy sheriffs on Thursday arrested 80 people on drug and/or gun charges, announced the U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Colorado. The arrests were made by over 500 law enforcement officers, making this the largest drug bust in Denver history.

The arrests, announced on Thursday at a press conference in Aurora, Colo., were made after separate investigations were conducted by: the Metro Gang Task Force (MGTF), the Denver Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Strike Force, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the North Metro Task Force (NMTF). The combination of these four separate-but-related investigations resulted in the Feb. 9 mass arrests. A total of 97 defendants have been charged in either federal or state court as a part of this operation.

During the course of the investigation, including this operation, law enforcement officers seized 12 weapons, including an SKS assault rifle, an AR-15 assault rifle, handguns, $415,140 in cash, 26,129 grams of cocaine, one kilogram of crack cocaine, and one pound of methamphetamine.

The defendants arrested by the MGTF, FBI, DEA, the Denver OCDETF Strike Force, and HSI resulted from seven separate indictments obtained by a federal grand jury in Denver. Many made court appearances on Thursday in two separate courtrooms, where they were advised of the charges pending against them and the related penalties. The federal defendants will have detention hearings and will be arraigned next week. The defendants arrested by the NMTF are being prosecuted by 17th Judicial District Attorney Don Quick.

In addition to the subjects targeted for arrest on Thursday, 25 gang members and associates have been charged for their role in 16 violent take-over bank robberies. In December 2009, the FBI's Rocky Mountain Safe Streets Task Force began investigating the first of these robberies that occurred in the Denver metro area. Intelligence developed by investigators was shared with members of MGTF, Aurora Police Department, and Denver Police Department. That information was used by MGTF to initiate its enterprise investigation, leading to some of the indictments being announced Feb. 9. Of the 25 gang members and associates identified, 23 have been convicted for bank robbery, 19 pursuant to federal charges and four in state court.

"This combined enforcement action to take down four separate but related investigations demonstrates the coordinated strength and professionalism of federal, state and local law enforcement working together in Metro Denver," said U.S. Attorney John Walsh. "These results could not have been done without the hundreds of members of our law enforcement family. Today our streets are safer, and the drug trade in Colorado has suffered a massive blow."

"This complex multi-agency, multi-indictment operation has its roots in the simple theme of drug smuggling," said Michael A. Holt, special agent in charge of HSI Denver. "The cooperation among our various law enforcement agencies traced the original multiple investigations involving money laundering, bulk cash smuggling, gang involvement and other criminal activity back to transporting and smuggling illegal drugs."

If convicted, a vast majority of the federally charged defendants face not less than 10 years, and up to life in federal prison, as well as a fine of not more than $10 million.

The defendants in the NMTF case face either class two or class three felonies, with many of the drug distributions relying on the weight of the drugs distributed. Depending on the weight, these charges carry mandatory minimum prison sentences.

The MGTF is comprised of: FBI, Adams County Sheriff's Office, Aurora Police Department, Colorado National Guard, Colorado State Patrol, Commerce City Police Department, Denver District Attorney's Office, Denver Police Department, Douglas County Sheriff's Office, HSI, Jefferson County Sheriff's Office, the Rocky Mountain HIDTA, Thornton Police Department, and the Internal Revenue Service's Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI).

The Denver OCDETF Strike Force includes: DEA, FBI, HSI, IRS-CI, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the U.S. Marshals Service. Also assisting in the Denver OCDETF Strike Force investigation were: DEA's Los Angeles Field Division, the multi-agency Special Operations Division (SOD), and attorneys from the Criminal Division's Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section and the Office of International Affairs.

The NMTF is comprised of law enforcement officers from: Adams County Sheriff's Office, Thornton Police Department, Westminster Police Department, Commerce City Police Department, Northglenn Police Department and Federal Heights Police Department.

The indictments are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is the largest investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security.

ICE is a 21st century law enforcement agency with broad responsibilities for a number of key homeland security priorities. For more information, visit U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. To report suspicious activity, call 1-866-347-2423 or complete our tip form.

U.S. Dept of Homeland Security

Local, state and federal law enforcement agencies engage in largest drug bust in Colorado history arresting gang members and drug dealers

Twelve children were removed from homes where agents say drugs, guns and cash were stored.

You mean they broke up families? I am sure the parents just wanted a better life for their children.