9/18/23

NUMEROUS LOCAL, COUNTY, STATE, AND FEDERAL AGENCIES CAME TOGETHER FOR A MASSIVE DRUG BUST IN PRESCOTT.

ON APRIL 27TH, PARTNERS AGAINST NARCOTICS TRAFFICKING, OR P.A.N.T., DETECTIVES, CONDUCTED AN INVESTIGATION DIRECTED AT DISMANTLING A DRUG TRAFFICKING ORGANIZATION OPERATING IN YAVAPAI COUNTY AND MARICOPA COUNTY.

THE INVESTIGATION WAS PERFORMED OVER SEVERAL MONTHS WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF DEA SPECIAL AGENTS, YAVAPAI COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE, PRESCOTT VALLEY PD DRUG ENFORCEMENT UNIT, MARICOPA COUNTY DRUG SUPPRESSION TEAM, AND IN COORDINATION WITH THE ARIZONA ATTORNEY GENERAL’S OFFICE.

OFFICIALS USED NUMEROUS AND VARIOUS INVESTIGATIVE TECHNIQUES, INCLUDING SOME THAT HAD NEVER BEEN UTILIZED IN PRIOR CASES. SUBSEQUENTLY, THIRTEEN SUBJECTS WERE CHARGED WITH SEVERAL DRUG CRIMES, INCLUDING THE OPERATION OF AN ILLEGAL ENTERPRISE, AND SELLING METHAMPHETAMINE AND FENTANYL.

ONE OF THOSE ARRESTED WAS COMMUNICATING WITH A DRUG SUPPLIER IN MEXICO FOR DELIVERIES OF LARGE QUANTITIES OF FENTANYL AND METHAMPHETAMINE INTO ARIZONA. AFTER CONFIRMING THE MEXICAN SUPPLIER WAS PART OF THE DRUG TRAFFICKING ORGANIZATION UNDER INVESTIGATION, HE TOO WAS ARRESTED WHEN HE WAS IN ARIZONA.

THE SCOPE OF THE OPERATION WAS EXTENSIVE, WITH OVER 30 SEARCH WARRANTS EXECUTED THROUGHOUT THE INVESTIGATION, AND THE FOLLOWING QUANTITY OF WEAPONS AND DRUGS SEIZED: 10,500 FENTANYL PILLS, 81 POUNDS OF METHAMPHETAMINE, 2 POUNDS OF FENTANYL POWDER, 1/2 POUND OF COCAINE, AND 17 POUNDS OF MARIJUANA.

YAVAPAI COUNTY SHERIFF DAVID RHODES THANKED ALL OF THE AGENCIES INVOLVED FOR THEIR ASSISTANCE.