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Edwar Salazar-Belleda Sentenced in Kansas Meth Ring
A man was sentenced to 102 months in prison for his involvement in a Kansas City metro-based drug trafficking ring with ties to Mexico.
Edwar Salazar-Belleda, 34, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to court documents, Salazar-Belleda was part of an international drug trafficking ring operating with meth brought in from Mexico. The co-conspirators laundered illegal proceeds as wire payments destined for individuals in Mexico and California.
From August 2019 through May 2021, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) led an undercover investigation which included multiple purchases of meth, heroin, and firearms. Romel Alvarado-Calderon, 27, of Kansas City, Kansas, was the head of the operation, and Salazar-Belleda acted as a broker.
In April 2021, Salazar-Belleda was arrested after a trash bag containing 7.57 kilograms of 98.6% pure meth was found in his hotel room. Law enforcement also located digital scales, meth, heroin, a stolen firearm, and ammunition in his suitcase.
Over the course of the conspiracy investigation, more than 150 kilograms of meth, more than 11 ounces of heroin, marijuana, and numerous firearms were either purchased or seized.
Salazar-Belleda’s sentence is part of a larger crackdown on the Kansas City metro-based drug trafficking ring. Several other defendants have pleaded guilty to charges related to the conspiracy.
The Kansas Bureau of Investigation and Homeland Security Investigation (HSI) investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michelle McFarlane, David Zabel, and Sheri Catania prosecuted the case.
Key Facts
- State: Kansas
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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