Northern Colorado Drug Task Force Discovers Illegal Firearm Manufacturing Ring, Man Linked To Explosives May Be Connected
FORT COLLINS, Colo. (CBS4) – Suspects involved in a drug ring in Northern Colorado were found to be also illegally manufacturing firearms according to the Northern Colorado Drug Task Force. On Wednesday afternoon, search warrants were served in the 2000 block of Huntington Circle in Fort Collins where equipment to build guns was found.
Firearms manufacturing equipment, firearms and parts for firearms were seized at the property, as was an illegal short shotgun. A similar search warrant was also executed on Wednesday at a home on the 5900 block of North Pecos in Denver. Stolen property was also recovered.
CBS4's Dillon Thomas has learned investigators from the task force are now looking into whether or not a man recently arrested for possession of explosive devices is connected to the ring.
Nicholas Dice, 34, a Fort Collins resident, was arrested in mid-July. During a traffic stop in May deputies allegedly found a handgun that was reported stolen, methamphetamine, a chemical agent riot grenade as well as other guns and knives.
Investigators in Kansas later notified Colorado law enforcement of Dice's history of allegedly making explosives. When the Northern Colorado Drug Task Force executed a search warrant at Dice's home off of Meadow Lane in Fort Collins they recovered three improvised explosive devices and a Molotov cocktail. They also found several firearms in the home.
A spokesperson for the Larimer County Sheriff's Office told CBS4 investigators are now looking into the possibility that Dice may be connected to those who were illegally manufacturing firearms out of Fort Collins and Denver.
No arrests have been made in connection to the illegal manufacturing of firearms. However, law enforcement sources tell CBS4's Thomas that arrests could be expected in the coming days or weeks.
Agencies involved in the firearm manufacturing case involve Fort Collins Police Services, Larimer County Sheriff's Office, Eighth Judicial District Attorney's Office, Loveland Police, Colorado Adult Patrol, Windsor Police, Colorado National Guard Counterdrug, Fort Collins Police SWAT, Larimer County Regional All-Hazards/Crisis Response Team and more.
