Jaafar Altalibi: Narcotics Kingpin Busted in Utah’s Massive Drug Bust

Jaafar Altalibi, the alleged kingpin of a massive narcotics ring operating in Utah, has been ordered detained by a federal judge. The decision came after a Memorandum Decision and Order filed Friday stated that Altalibi played a significant role in distributing highly toxic substances for nearly a decade.

In October, a federal grand jury in Salt Lake City indicted Altalibi and several others on 15 counts of drug-related offenses, including the distribution of synthetic drugs known as ‘bath salts.’ Those charged faced potential forfeitures totaling millions in cash, property, and bank accounts.

Altalibi, along with Mountazar Altalibi, Haydar Altalibi, David Lovato, Allen Jervis, Hannah Taylor, Samantha Barber, Roble Abdinoor, Faris Musa, Hussein Alsalemi, Khadim Musa, Martinus De Koning, and two companies, Smokers Haven J, LLC and Lake City Auto Sales, LLC, face a litany of charges. These include conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, money laundering, attempted possession with intent to distribute α-Pyrrolidinohexanophenone (α-PHP), and engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise.

The DEA Metro Narcotics Task Force, along with numerous local and federal agencies, conducted the investigation that led to the arrests. The task force included officers from the DEA, Unified Police Department of Greater Salt Lake/Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office, West Valley City Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Utah Department of Public Safety, and various police departments.

U.S. Attorney Trina A. Higgins for the District of Utah announced the charges, while Seth Nielsen from the Utah Attorney General’s Office and Assistant United States Attorneys Vernon G. Stejskal and Cy H. Castle are prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.