Meth Ring Trafficking Bust Nets 22 Indictments
DENVER (CBS4)- An organized meth ring with ties to several states, including Colorado, has been busted.
A federal grand jury in Denver has returned an indictment charging 22 people with crimes related to the trafficking of methamphetamine and international money laundering.
Of the 22 indicted, 20 were arrested Wednesday in the Denver metro area, California, Utah and Iowa. The two not arrested are considered fugitives from justice.
During the course of the investigation, dubbed "Operation Dark Angel," agents and officers seized more than six pounds of methamphetamine, $715,340 in currency and property, including one firearm, two 2004 Freightliner tractor trailers and a 2010 Chevrolet Camaro.
The investigation targeted the Armando Medoza-Haro Drug Trafficking Organization which has ties to Mexico. Investigators followed corrupt drivers from a trucking company that used their tractor trailers to move meth from California to Colorado and then move money back from Colorado to California.
"This collaborative effort has completely dismantled these two organizations smuggling currency and meth from Mexico to California and then Colorado using a corrupt commercial trucking company," said First Asst. U.S. Attorney Bob Royer.
In one instance the money was hidden in a truck load of milk. In another instance, a minor had $233,000 in cash strapped to his body.
"These defendants attempted to conceal and disguise the origins of the meth proceeds by depositing the proceeds in bank accounts around the country," said IRS spokesman Sean Sowards.
"Methamphetamine has one of the greatest impacts among the people who use it. It can make you addicted fairly quickly," said Denver Police Dept. Division Chief Bill Nagle.
Those arrested include: Armando Mendoza-Haro from Northglenn, Jesus Segovia from Denver, Miguel Angel Sanchez from San Bernardino, CA, Daniela Munguia de Ortiz from Pomona, CA, Yuly Hernandez-Orozco from Edgewater, Alejandro Morales-Garcia from Marshalltown, IA, Carlos Martin Segura Chang from Downey, CA, Sonia Perez from Denver, Reyna Mendoza-Haro from Corcoran, CA, Jaime Moreno-Lopez currently in custody, Ricky Henry Cisneros from Denver, Ivan Gomez-Avila from Denver, Shana Louise Claybourn from Denver, Cris Anthony Sandoval from Lakewood, Todd Joseph Trujillo from Westminster, Kennie Ray Snyder currently in state custody, Christina Rose Malmgren from Highlands Ranch, Desiree Rose Ceballes from Glendale, Ricardo Paniagua-Rodriguez from San Ysidro, CA and Sergio Mendoza-Valdovinos from Utah.
