10 illegal immigrants arrested in heroin bust


Updated: 5/06 5:09 pm | Published: 5/06 4:56 pm

Reported by: Robert Maxwell



SPANISH FORK, Utah (ABC 4 News) - Over the past week the Utah County Major Crimes Task Force worked with several agencies in Salt Lake and Davis Counties to perform a major heroin bust.

Officers arrested 10 suspects, who were all in the country illegally, after seizing almost 50 ounces of heroin ready to be distributed on the street.

"We've been able to follow up on those leads and locate some stash houses that resulted in large seizures of heroine in the last week," said the Director of the Utah County Major Crimes Task Force Lt. Phil Murphy.

Officers confiscated a large amount of heroin with a street value of nearly $80,000.

They also seized over $15,000 in cash, fake government documents and other paraphernalia used to package heroin for distribution on the streets.

"Illicit street drugs like heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana are still a significant problem in our state, and task forces throughout the state are targeting any individual or group who are making it available," said Lt. Murphy.

Police say they continue to see a growing problem with drug addiction, and in Utah the heroin addiction is growing.

"You hear a lot of overdoses that are related to opiates and heroin, so this is satisfying in knowing that we can make a good sized arrest and a good size seizure, but it also indicates that there's a significant problem in the state still," said Lt. Murphy.

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