23 arrested in Washington County as part of drug-trafficking investigation
by John Snell
Tuesday May 19, 2009, 5:09 PM

HILLSBORO - More than 200 police officers from throughout the state swept through Portland and Washington County this morning, serving 13 warrants and arresting nearly two-dozen people.

The operation was conducted by the Westside Interagency Narcotics Team, said Sgt. David Thompson, spokesman for the team. (To see a map of the locations searched, go here.)

Three special-tactics teams from area police agencies were involved in the raids, as were special agents from the FBI and representatives of the Oregon National Guard, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Marshals Service and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.

Thompson said state, local and county law enforcement agencies were also involved in the Tuesday morning raids. He said the raids were conducted in an operation led by WIN and the Oregon Justice Department, and were part of an ongoing investigation of drug trafficking in the Metro area.

Twenty-three people were arrested. No injuries were reported, Thompson said.

Thompson provided no other details, including a listing of specific accusations against specific individuals, saying only that WIN planned to announce details of the raid next week.

Among those arrested were:

Joaquin Tapia-Martinez, 50; Manuel Aguilar, 48; Jose Chavez-Guiterrez, 20; Ruben Infante-Perez, 41; Elvin Guerra-Pedreanez, 27; Gonzalo Teran-Arango, 23; Florentino Villasenor-Trejo, 47; Fausto Mendoza-Fortanell, 48; Rajneel Singh, 23; Sigifredo Herrera-Cruz, 36; Maria Torres-Gonzalez, 55; Ruben Castaneda-Silva, 41; Amelia Juarez, 56; Yutzuky Madrano-Palazuelos, 21; Norma Leon-Gutierrez, 20; Mario Perez-Sandoval, 44; Pedro Gaona-Chavez, 46; Israel Mendoza-Vasquez, 30; and Jaime Martinez-Martinez , 27.

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